NJ Gov. Phil Murphy Signs 16 Coronavirus Bills Into Law

NEW JERSEY – Gov. Phil Murphy signed 16 bills into law this week that he says will help the state battle the coronavirus outbreak.

Murphy signed legislation (A3680 and A3682) to expand access to telehealth services and to allow professional and occupational licensing board to expedite licensure of out-of-state professionals.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

A3860 authorizes any health care practitioners to provide telemedicine and telehealth services for the duration of the public health emergency declared by Murphy.

It also directs the commissioner of Health and the Director of Consumer Affairs to waive any requirements or regulations to facilitate healthcare services using telemedicine and telehealth during the emergency.

“Telehealth is crucial in order to allow as many New Jerseyans as possible to get the medical services they need during this crisis,” said Murphy. “Through the expansion of telehealth services as well as the waiving of licensure requirements for out-of-state professionals, we will be able to accept assistance from both in-state and from out-of-state more easily and allow residents to get the help they require.”

To ensure that individuals who are uninsured have access to testing for COVID-19, the Murphy administration also required hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to waive patient fees for testing and related diagnostic services for those who lack health insurance.

In a communication to the New Jersey Hospital Association and the New Jersey Primary Care Association, which includes 23 FQHCs with more than 120 satellite locations, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said that the cost for testing and diagnosis should not be a barrier for any of New Jersey’s residents

Murphy also signed legislation (A3848) which prohibits an employer, during the ongoing emergency, from terminating or refusing to reinstate an employee who has, or is likely to have, an infectious disease which requires the employee to miss time at work.

Under the bill, an employee who requests or takes time off from work, based on the recommendation of a medical professional, may not be terminated or refused reinstatement if the employee is likely to infect others in the workplace.

"Our message in New Jersey has been loud and clear: if you're sick, stay home," said Murphy. “No one should fear retribution from their employer for an absence deemed necessary by a medical professional, particularly for an illness as communicable as COVID-19. Every New Jerseyan has a role to play in our mitigation efforts and staying away from others when you’re sick is perhaps the most important thing you can do right now.”

Murphy also signed legislation (A3845) that authorizes the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to make grants during a state of emergency or a public health emergency declared by the governor. The EDA will also be authorized to grant certain business documentation submission deadline extensions.

“Businesses small and large throughout our state are in uncharted waters during this time of national crisis,” said Murphy. “Working with our partners in the Legislature, we are ensuring that businesses in New Jersey have access to EDA grants and have an extended period of time to submit required documents.”

Here are the other bills:

• A-3852/S-2296 (Coughlin, Bramnick/Sweeney, T. Kean) – Allows conduct of State business and legislative sessions at locations other than Trenton during periods of emergency or other exigency; allows conduct of legislative business using electronic means.
• A-3095/S-1982 (Mazzeo/Beach, Turner) – Provides county clerks with additional week to mail ballots for 2020 primary election; requires ballot position draw to occur one day early if statutory date falls on holiday
• A-3840/S-2281 (Lampitt, Dunn, Quijano/Ruiz, Cunningham) – Requires school districts to provide school meals or meal vouchers to students eligible for free and reduced price school meals during school closures due to COVID-19 epidemic
• A-3843/S-2283 (McKeon, Bramnick, Chaparro/Vitale, Lagana, Pou, Bateman) – Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for testing of coronavirus disease 2019 and for telemedicine and telehealth during coronavirus disease 2019 state of emergency
• A-3849/S-2302 (Johnson, Moen, Timberlake/A.M. Bucco, Cruz-Perez, Weinberg, Ruiz, Addiego, Madden, C.A. Brown, Holzapfel, Singer, O’Scanlon) – Modifies deadline by which public agency is required to respond to request for government record during period of emergency
• A-3850/S-2294 (Murphy, DeCroce, Moen/Beach, A.M. Bucco, Weinberg, Cruz-Perez, Ruiz, Addiego, Madden, Holzapfel, Singer, O’Scanlon) – Allows public bodies to conduct meetings, and provide notice, by electronic means during periods of emergency
• A-3851/S-2295 (Schaer, Scharfenberger, Reynolds-Jackson/A.M. Bucco, Gopal, Cruz-Perez, Madden, Ruiz, Scutari, Bateman, C.A. Brown, Holzapfel, Singer, O’Scanlon, Oroho) – Permits extension of deadlines for adoption of county and municipal budgets under certain circumstances
• A-3854/S-2286 (Conaway, Munoz, Benson/Vitale, Gill, Cruz-Perez, Ruiz, Addiego, Greenstein, T. Kean, C.A. Brown, Holzapfel, Singer, O’Scanlon) – Authorizes all licensed health care facilities and laboratories to collect specimens to test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); allows waiver of staffing ratio requirements
• A-3855/S-2287 (Mosquera, Stanfield, Vainieri Huttle/T. Kean, Codey, Cruz-Perez, Ruiz, Addiego, Pennacchio, C.A. Brown, Holzapfel, Singer, O’Scanlon) – Requires food access information be displayed on websites of 2-1-1 system and executive branch departments during public health emergencies to the extent practicable
• A-3861/S-2290 (Karabinchak, Johnson, Greenwald/Diegnan, Ruiz, Testa, C.A. Brown, Holzapfel, Singer) – Permits corporations to hold shareholders’ meetings in part or solely by means of remote communication during state of emergency
• A-3865/S-2291 (Chaparro, Reynolds-Jackson, Verrelli/Addiego, Bateman, Pou, Ruiz, C.A. Brown, Holzapfel, Singer, Turner) – Limits return of items purchased from retail food stores under certain circumstances
• AJR-158/SJR-77 (DeAngelo, DePhillips/Cruz-Perez, Pou, Ruiz, Greenstein, T. Kean, C.A. Brown, Holzapfel, Singer, O’Scanlon) – Urges FCC to take temporary measures to secure broadband access for those affected by COVID-19