STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator DOUGLAS J. STEINHARDT
District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Burgess
SYNOPSIS
Requires hospitals to notify family of patient release following drug overdose.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning drug overdoses and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, “hospital” means an acute care hospital licensed by the Department of Health pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et al.).
b. In the case of a patient who has received treatment in a hospital for a drug overdose, within the 72 hours of the patient’s release from the hospital, the hospital shall attempt to contact a family member of the patient to inform the family member of the patient’s drug overdose and hospital release, if:
(1) the hospital possesses contact information for a family member of the patient; and
(2) informing a family member of the patient’s drug overdose and hospital release is consistent with federal and State laws, including federal and State privacy laws.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires hospitals to notify a patient’s family of the patient’s release following a drug overdose.
The bill provides that, in the case of a patient who has received treatment in a hospital for a drug overdose, within the 72 hours of the patient’s release from the hospital, the hospital is to attempt to contact a family member of the patient to inform the family member of the patient’s drug overdose and hospital release, if: (1) the hospital possesses contact information for a family member of the patient; and (2) informing a family member of the patient’s drug overdose and hospital release is consistent with federal and State laws, including federal and State privacy laws.