Read the full stored bill text
A1014
ASSEMBLY, No. 1014
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BALVIR SINGH
District 7 (Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Verrelli
SYNOPSIS
���� Establishes "Kidney Disease Prevention and
Education Task Force."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
establishing the �Kidney Disease Prevention and
Education Task Force.�
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� The Legislature finds
and declares that:
���� a.��� Chronic kidney disease
is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States and among New Jersey
residents, with about 1,600 deaths occurring in the State each year.
���� b.� An estimated 37 million
people in the United State have chronic kidney disease and over 200,000 people
in the State of New Jersey are living with the disease.
���� c.� African-Americans develop
kidney failure at a rate of nearly four to one compared to Caucasians
,
and Hispanics have a 30 percent higher risk of developing kidney failure
compared to Caucasians.
���� d.� Early stage chronic kidney
disease has no signs or symptoms and without early detection, can progress to
kidney failure.
���� e.� Although dialysis is a
life-extending treatment, the best and most cost-effective treatment for kidney
failure is a kidney transplant
.
Currently, the average waiting time for
a transplant can last upwards of three to five years at most transplant
centers; and nationally, 12 people die each day from kidney disease while
waiting.
���� f.� If chronic kidney disease
is detected early and managed appropriately, the individual can receive
treatment sooner to help protect the kidneys, slow or even stop deterioration
in kidney function, and reduce the risk of associated cardiovascular complications.
���� g.� In light of the
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the increased risk of
infection for patients with pre-existing conditions and of COVID-19 patients
developing acute kidney disease, it is imperative to provide support to
individuals with kidney disease.
���� 2.��� a.� There is established
in the Department of Health, the �Kidney Disease Prevention and Education Task
Force.�� The purpose of this task force is to:
���� (1)� develop and implement a
public awareness campaign about the benefits of the early detection and
treatment of kidney disease that includes, but is not limited to, health
education programs, preventative screenings, and social media, television, and
radio outreach;
���� (2)� examine racial
disparities in the rates of chronic kidney disease, kidney transplantations,
and living and deceased kidney donations and identify opportunities to promote
health equity; and
���� (3)� make recommendations in
the implementation of a cost-effective plan for early screening, diagnosis, and
treatment of chronic kidney disease Statewide.
���� b.� The task force shall
consist of 11 members as follows:
���� (1)� one member of the General
Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall serve as
co-chairperson;
���� (2)� one member of the General
Assembly, appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader;
���� (3)� one member of the Senate,
appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall serve as co-chairperson;
���� (4)� one member of the Senate,
appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
���� (5)� the Commissioner of
Health or the commissioner�s designee, who shall serve ex officio;
���� (6)� the Director of the
Office of Minority and Multicultural Health or the director�s designee, who
shall serve ex officio; and
���� (7)� five public members, who
shall be appointed by the Governor, as follows:� one nephrologist; one primary
care physician; one member who is a pharmaceutical representative that works
with existing kidney medication; one member who is a representative from a
leading dialysis center; and one member who has chronic kidney disease between
Stages 2-4 that is healthy enough to participate and is not in one of the
previous membership categories set forth in this paragraph.� Vacancies in the
membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner provided for
the original appointments.
���� c.� The members of this task
force shall be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of this act.�
The task force shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment
of its members.� The presence of six members shall constitute a quorum.
���� d.� The task force will meet
regularly as the task force determines, or at the call of a majority of the
task force�s membership.
���� e.� All meetings of the task
force shall be open to the public.� Agendas, minutes, documents, and testimony
from all meetings shall be posted on the Department of Health�s Internet
website.
���� f.���� The public members
shall serve without compensation.
���� g.��� The Department of Health
shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants and
professional staff as the task force requires to carry out its work.� The task
force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail of the services of
the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau,
commission, or agency as the task force may require and as may be available for
the task force�s purposes.
���� 3.��� The task force shall
present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and,
pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no
later than two years after the organization of the task force.
���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately, and the task force shall expire 30 days after the issuance
of its report.
STATEMENT
���� This bill establishes the
Kidney Disease Prevention and Education Task Force.� The purpose of this task
force is to:
���� 1)� develop and implement a
public awareness campaign about the benefits of the early detection and
treatment of kidney disease that includes, but is not limited to, health
education programs, preventative screenings, and social media, television, and
radio outreach;
���� (2)� examine racial
disparities in the rates of chronic kidney disease, kidney transplantations,
and living and deceased kidney donations and identify opportunities to promote
health equity; and
���� (3)� make recommendations in
the implementation of a cost-effective plan for early screening, diagnosis, and
treatment of chronic kidney disease Statewide.
���� The task force will consist of
11 members as follows:� one member of the General Assembly, appointed by the
Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall serve as co-chairperson; one member
of the General Assembly, appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; one member
of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall serve as
co-chairperson;� one member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Minority
Leader;� the Commissioner of Health or the commissioner�s designee, who shall
serve ex officio;� the Director of the Office of Minority and Multicultural
Health or the director�s designee, who shall serve ex officio; and� five public
members, who will be appointed by the Governor, that include:� one
nephrologist; one primary care physician; one member who is a pharmaceutical
representative that works with existing kidney medication; one member who is a
representative from a leading dialysis center; and one member who has chronic
kidney disease between Stages 2-4 that is healthy enough to participate and is
not already in one of the previous membership categories listed.
���� The task force will present a
report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor to the Legislature
no later than two years after the organization of the task force.� The task
force will expire 30 days after the issuance of its report.