ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN'S AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2007

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 4, 2026

            The Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2007.

     As amended by the committee, this bill would require certain health care providers in the State, including licensed physicians, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, certified midwives, certified professional midwives, and certified nurse midwives, to conduct intimate partner violence screenings of patients annually, or at intervals recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in accordance with nationally recognized evidence-based guidelines.  The bill requires providers to document the findings from each screening in the patient’s medical record, and with the patient’s consent, include any related documentation.  The bill also requires any health care professional, who documents findings of intimate partner violence in a patient’s medical record, to advise the patient that the patient may take appropriate action to prevent the disclosure of the patient’s medical record to the perpetrator of the intimate partner violence.  

     Under the bill, an intimate partner violence screening performed under the bill is to be performed in a private area, which may include screening the patient using telemedicine and telehealth or by the patient self-administering the screening using a paper-based or electronic screening instrument where only the provider and the patient are present, unless the patient has consented to have another person present,.  If, based on a screening performed pursuant to this bill, a provider finds that a patient is or may be a victim of intimate partner, the patient shall be provided:

     1)    during the same visit, with a list of resources and services that are available in the State and region to assist and protect victims of intimate partner violence; and

     2)    with referrals to other appropriate health care professionals, as deemed by the provider to be necessary to help the patient fully address the physical or mental consequences of the intimate partner violence.

     The Department of Children and Families and the Department of Health, will be required to make available to providers in the State, and update on at least a biennial basis a list identifying all of the resources and services that are available in the State, and in each region of the State, to assist and protect victims of intimate partner violence.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1) Provide that intimate partner violence screenings be conducted annually or at an interval recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists;

      (2) Add language that allows a patient who is undergoing an intimate partner screening, to provide consent to have an additional person present; and

      (3) Make various technical corrections involving grammar and syntax.