Sponsors: Assemblywomen Loretta Weinberg (D37) and Charlotte Vandervalk (R39)

Sponsors: Senators Joseph F. Vitale (D19) and John Adler (D6)

Summary: Requires home care service providers to give advance information to patients about their employees' training

Comments: The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that home health care patients and their families receive basic information in advance about the qualifications of their direct care workers from the provider agencies that provide such services. This information includes a copy of the consumer guide to homemaker-home health aides published by the New Jersey Board of Nursing, information identifying caregivers as certified or non-certified, and evidence that the employment and character references for non-certified caregivers have been verified.

Current Status: Signed into law September 5, 2002

Legislative Activity:
1/8/02 Introduced and referred to Assembly Health and Human Services Committee

1/31/02 Reported out of committee with committee substitute, 2nd reading in Assembly

2/11/02 Passed in Assembly 76-0-0

2/11/02 Received in Senate and referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

5/9/02 Reported out of committee with committee amendments, 2nd reading in Senate

5/16/0 2 Substituted for S499 (SCS)

5/16/02 Passed in Senate 36-0

5/16/02 Received in Assembly, 2nd reading in Assembly to concur with Senate amendments

6/13/02 Passed in Assembly and sent to Governor 78-0-0

Last Session: A2856; reported out of committee with committee amendments, 2nd reading in Assembly

Current Status: Substitute signed into law September 5, 2002

Legislative Activity:
1/8/02 Introduced and referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

5/9/02 Reported out of committee with committee substitute, 2nd reading in Senate

5/16/02 Substituted by A701 (ACS/1R)

5/16/02 Passed in Senate 36-0

5/16/02 Received in Assembly, 2nd reading in Assembly to concur with Senate amendments

6/13/02 Passed in Assembly and sent to Governor 78-0-0

9/5/02 Signed by the Governor P.L.2002, c.81

Last Session: S2434

Sponsors: Assemblymen Guy R. Gregg and Eric Munoz

Sponsors: Senators Thomas H. Kean (R21) and Joseph F. Vitale (D19),

Summary: "Danielle's Law"; requires certain staff working with people with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injury to call 911 emergency telephone service in life-threatening emergencies.

Comments: In addition to requiring calls to 911, the law also requires staff to report 911 calls to the Department of Human Services (DHS) and requires the facility or agency, and DHS to maintain a record of those calls. Moreover, the law requires DHS to ensure that appropriate training is provided to staff to effectuate the purposes of the law. The law also provides for penalties for failure to comply with its requirements. The law is named for a group home resident who died due to complications from a high fever.

Current Status: Signed into law October 26, 2003

Legislative Activity:
5/5/03 Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Human Services Committee

6/9/03 Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

6/23/03 Passed by the Assembly (80-0-0)

6/23/03 Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading

6/30/03 Substituted for S2572

6/30/03 Passed Senate (39-0) and sent to Governor

10/26/03 Signed by Governor, P.L. 2003. c.191

Current Status: Substitute bill signed into law October 26, 2003

Legislative Activity:
5/19/03 Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

6/9/03 Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading

6/30/03 Substituted by A3458

6/30/03 Substitute bill passed in Senate (39-0) and sent to Governor