Signed by Governor Phil Murphy

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a Long-Term Care Emergency Operations Center for infectious disease preparedness.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Long-Term Care Emergency Operations Center (LTCEOC) within the Department of Health to serve as a resource center for long-term care response efforts during any hazardous event, having been declared a public health emergency (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the creation of this center 30 days after passage of this bill (Sec 1).

• Specifies the responsibilities and powers of LTCEOC as the following (Sec.1):

• Establishing direct communication channels with owners of long-term care facilities; and

• Providing the adequate supplies, equipment, and technical assistance to respond to a public health emergency.

• Authorizes LTCEOC to provide guidance for the best practices to employ in response to an outbreak, epidemic, or pandemic involving infectious diseases and authorizes LTCEOC to establish regional hubs to accept patients who may transmit said disease to members of the public (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes LTCEOC to pair Level 1 regional trauma centers with long-term care facilities and make consultation and support services available to the public (Sec. 2).

• Requires LTCEOC to establish communication channels for testing results and requires LTCEOC to establish plans for patients who test positive for the infectious disease amidst being cared for (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Commissioner of Health and the Commissioner of Human Services to ensure that federal funds allocated to states for COVID-19 is made available to long-term care facilities (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text