Policy & Legislation
These are the current bills pending in both the senate and assembly in New Jersey. These bill were selected as they impact nursing and or healthcare for citizens in New Jersey.
221st NJ Legislative Session (2024-2025)
- S1949 and A1659 establish certain requirements and initiatives related to nurses; transfer oversight of certified nurse aides from the Department of Health to the Board of Nursing; appropriate $26.7 million. Click HERE for TALKING POINTS when discussing this bill with your Legislators.
- S1983 and A944 eliminate certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses.
- S1941 and A3450 establish minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals, ambulatory surgery facilities, and certain DHS facilities.
- S2700 and A3683 establish the “Patient Protection and Safe Staffing Act.”
- S3051 requires the Division of Consumer Affairs to hire staff to alleviate the professional license application backlog; appropriates $10,000,000 in fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026.
NJCCN Research on Staff Ratios and Alternatives
- NJCCN Data Analysis: Nurse Staffing Ratios and Patient Outcomes in NJ
- Does Public Reporting of Staffing Ratios and Nursing Home Compare Ratings Matter?
- Nurse Workforce Environment Staffing Councils: An Innovative Approach
- Effects of Public Reporting Legislation of Nurse Staffing: A Trend Analysis
- Nurse staffing legislation: Empirical evidence and policy analysis
- Effects of Public Reporting Legislation of Nurse Staffing: A Trend Analysis
- Staffing Trends in Magnet and Non-Magnet Hospitals After State Legislation
- Alternative Approaches to Ensuring Adequate Nurse Staffing: The Effect of State Legislation on Hospital Nurse Staffing
- Nursing Work Environment Staffing Councils: An Alternative to Mandatory Regulated Staffing Ratios
- Exploration of the Meaning of Healthy: Work Environment for Nurses
220th NJ Legislative Session (2022-2024)
S3547 and A4614 modify the Nursing Faculty Loan Redemption Program
219th NJ Legislative Session (2020-2022)
- A5557 expands continuing education requirements for nurses (Domestic Violence education).
- Long Term Care Bills introduced in the NJ State Assembly: A4478, A4479, A4480, A4483, A4485.
- Long Term Care Bills introduced in the NJ State Senate: S2759, S2784, S2786, S2788, S2791.
- A1760 “Consumer Access to Healthcare Act” eliminates requirement of joint protocol with physical for advanced practice nurses to prescribe medication.
- A1773 establishes a tuition reimbursement program for certain advance practice nurses who provide mental health care services in underserved areas in New Jersey.
- A1762 and S1082 require newly licensed registered professional nurse to attain baccalaureate degree in nursing within 10 years of initial licensure as a condition of renewal of the license.
- A2439 and S1083 establish minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities and certain DHS facilities.
- A1791 requires hospitals to establish nurse staffing committees.
- A1419 and S525 revise identification badge requirements for hospital staff.
- A3829 prohibits use of “Nurse” title by unlicensed person.
- A5020– permits advanced practice nurse to testify in lieu of psychiatrist at court hearing for involuntary commitment.
- A5037– Requires Board of Nursing to establish dual certification for certified nurse aide; transfers certified nurse aide licensing authority from DOH to Board of Nursing.
- S76 Authorizes school nurses to administer opioid antidotes to overdose victims on school property, with immunity from civil, criminal, and professional liability, pursuant to the “Overdose Prevention Act.”
A3982 and S4015 Requires health care facilities to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke via use of smoke evacuation system.
A4535 and S3312 Establishes Chief Executive Nurse position in DOH.
How a Bill Becomes Law
There are many steps for a bill to become a law. This link will walk you through those steps needed to get a bill to become a law in New Jersey. For more information go to https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/legprocess.asp
Find Your Legislator
It is easy to search for your Legislator. You can search by alphabetical list, municipality or legislative district here.
Once you have selected your representative you can electronically correspond with your representative using this option.
