Gov. Murphy Signs 4 NJ Coronavirus Bills In Law, Vetoes 2 Others

NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy signed four bills into law this week that are intended to provide a boost to New Jersey amid the coronavirus crisis — such as smoothing out issues at Motor Vehicle Commission sites — while vetoing two others.

Murphy signed a bill into law that allows new drivers who passed their road tests to drive for 60 days while they are waiting to get their probationary driver's license. He also signed legislation to ensure hospitals and long-term care facilities have enough personal protective equipment (see the signed and vetoed bills below).

Murphy vetoed a bill that was intended to protect New Jersey residents who are receiving care for mental health, behavioral health and addiction services. The bill, S-2708, would have required state contracts to contain a commitment that service will not be disrupted or delayed by labor disputes.

“Mental and behavioral health services are critical to the health, safety and well-being of all New Jersey residents,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “The recipients of these services are our state’s most vulnerable population and any disruption, whether in the middle of a pandemic or not, can be life-threatening and even endanger the public at large. These workers are essential and they deserve all the protections we can provide.”

Murphy said he commends the bill’s sponsors for promoting goals that he shares — protecting reasonable access for labor unions to organize and encouraging amicable labor-management relationships.

"And in the settings of mental health, behavioral health, and addiction services, where the state depends on contracts with reliable providers, labor harmony agreements can help protect the state’s proprietary interest in the efficient delivery of services," he said.

But Murphy also said the state needs to balance those goals against the need to ensure continuity of care "and maintain a sufficient number of providers for the vulnerable population of individuals serviced by this workforce."

"I am concerned that automatic non-renewal or cancellation of contracts could result in gaps in the availability of mental health, behavioral health, and addiction services," he said.

Murphy called for additional safeguards to ensure the state can continue to serve these critical populations. He also wants to require providers to commit to making a good-faith effort to comply with all applicable COVID-19 health and safety protocols that protect workers and service recipients alike.

Here are the bills Murphy signed into law:

Addressing backlog at MVC sites

Murphy signed a bill into law that addresses the continued backlog of New Jersey residents waiting to get a driver’s license following the monthslong closure of Motor Vehicle Commission offices amid the coronavirus crisis.

The bill, A-4442/S-2755, will allow new drivers who passed their road tests to drive for 60 days while they are waiting to get their probationary driver's license.

The legislation (A-4442) allows drivers who have passed their road tests to operate vehicles under the same restrictions as a probationary license.

Probationary license restrictions include: no driving between 11:01 p.m. and 5 a.m.; no more than one passenger in the vehicle with the driver; an identifying decal on the front and rear license plates for all probationary drivers under 21; and no use of cell phones, including hands-free. Some restrictions are subject to limited exceptions.

The law previously passed the Assembly in August 77-0, and the Senate in October 35-0.

The measure is part of a package of Sen. Anthony M. Bucco-sponsored legislation to accommodate motorists who have been frustrated by extensive delays at MVC facilities as a result of increased demand caused by the pandemic.

“We can shorten the lines for motorists who need to conduct business in person and lighten the workload for commission employees by postponing one interaction with motor vehicles for every new driver,” said Bucco (R-Morris).

“The delays and congestion at MVC are inexcusable, and it is clear the commission needs some help and guidance from the Legislature. This is one of many simple tweaks that can help New Jersey residents get the services they need without forcing them to spend hours and days waiting in line.”

Ensuring enough personal protective equipment

Murphy signed legislation to ensure long-term care facilities and hospitals have appropriate supplies of vital personal protective equipment (PPE) on hand for residents and patients during public health emergencies.

The legislation requires licensed facilities in New Jersey to maintain an emergency inventory. The law previously passed the Assembly in September 79-0, and the Senate in October 35-0.

Under the new law (A-4282/A-4150), long-term care centers are required to maintain stockpiles of PPE sufficient for 30 or 60 days, depending on the number of facilities owned by the health system.

Facilities not owned by a system or are part of a system with fewer than eight centers are able to enter a collaborative agreement with other facilities to share PPE.

Hospitals are required to maintain a 90-day supply of PPE at all times.

In the event of a public health emergency, long-term care facilities and hospitals need to immediately re-evaluate their PPE inventory and secure additional supplies as needed.

The state Department of Health is permitted to impose fines or other administrative remedies against facilities which violate the requirements of the law.

Sponsors of the new law — Nancy Pinkin (D-Middlesex), Robert Karabinchak (D-Middlesex), Daniel Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) — released the following joint statement:

"At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to personal protective equipment was scarce. Many long-term care facilities lacked a stockpile of supplies. Masks, gloves, face shields and sanitizers are critical to mitigating the spread of COVID-19; without them, the virus spreads rapidly. Unfortunately, limited access to these supplies led to the devastating outbreaks that we saw happen in our long-term care facilities.

"Long-term care centers should never be without an appropriate stockpile of PPE. We must make sure these facilities are better prepared to protect residents and staff as we face a second wave of COVID-19, and for future public health emergencies.”

Health care transparency

Murphy signed into law Sweeney’s Health Care Transparency Act, which will create new identification requirements for health care professionals and set new regulations for audio and visual advertisements.

Under the new law, any advertisement of health care professionals would require the disclosure of the type of professional license and professional degree issued to the professional.

The law, S-2465/A-4143, will also require health care professionals to wear a name tag or identification during all in-person patient encounters. It must include their name, their professional license and degree, as well as a recent photograph if they are providing patient care at a hospital.

“Just as people deserve to know the food they buy or the cars they drive are safe and regulated, they deserve to know the medical treatments they are receiving are being performed by a qualified professional,” said Sweeney. “This is a ‘truth in advertising’ law for medical care and advice that is designed to ensure that health care providers clearly and honestly state their level of training, education and licensing.”

Murphy signed the following coronavirus bills into law:

• S-848/A-2140 (Pou, Gopal, Tully/Vainieri Huttle, Freiman) - Revises requirements for health care service firms to report financial information to Division of Consumer Affairs.
• S-2465/A-4143 (Sweeney/Conaway, Giblin, Jimenez) - "New Jersey Health Care Transparency Act."
• A-4282/S-2566 (Pinkin, Karabinchak, Benson, Vainieri Huttle, DeCroce/Diegnan, Gopal, Vitale) - Requires long-term care facilities and hospitals to maintain a minimum supply of personal protective equipment.
• A-4442/S-2755 (Downey, Benson, Houghtaling/Gopal, Bucco) - Authorizes people who have passed road test to use driving permit to operate motor vehicle for 60 days during COVID-19 public health emergency.

Murphy conditionally vetoed the following bills:

• S-2354/A-3920 (Greenstein, Oroho/Bramnick, Freiman, Speight) - Prohibits cancellation or nonrenewal of certain insurance policies and insurance premium finance agreements for a period of at least 60 days under certain circumstances after declaration of public health emergency, or state of emergency, or both. Copy of Statement
• S-2708/A-4446 (Sweeney, Codey/Benson, Vainieri Huttle, Verrelli) - Requires certain provisions in state contracts for delivery of publicly financed mental health, behavioral health, and addiction services. Copy of Statement

Murphy also absolute vetoed the following bill:

• S-1957/A-3756 (Greenstein, Oroho/DePhillips, Zwicker, Speight) - Supports activities of New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. Copy of Statement