SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4075

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 11, 2026

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4075.

      As amended, this bill authorizes the Department of Health to take steps to seek participation in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, a World Health Organization coordinated international technical network that supports the detection of and response to infectious disease outbreaks.

      The bill permits the department to engage in communications, coordination, and information sharing activities necessary to pursue participation in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, while expressly providing that nothing in the bill shall be construed to confer membership upon the State in the World Health Organization, authorize actions that conflict with federal law or the United States Constitution, permit the disclosure of confidential health information, or require the expenditure of funds beyond those otherwise available.

      Subject to the availability of funds, the bill requires the Commissioner of Health to report to the Governor and the Legislature on actions taken to pursue participation in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network and the status of the department’s participation or application.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 4075 is identical to Senate Bill No. 3985, which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments revise the bill to provide that the Department of Health is authorized to take steps to seek participation in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.  As introduced, the bill provided that the department was also directed to seek participation.  The committee amendments provide that the bill’s reporting requirement are to be contingent on available funds.

      The committee amendments make a technical change concerning punctuation.