Requires NJT to establish pilot program to supply certain light rail train sets with opioid antidotes; makes appropriation of $100,000.

A1823

ASSEMBLY, No. 1823

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman� VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblyman� WILLIAM B. SAMPSON, IV

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires NJT to establish pilot program to supply
certain light rail train sets with opioid antidotes; makes appropriation of
$100,000.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
establishing a pilot program to supply certain light
rail train sets with opioid antidotes and making an appropriation.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� As used in this act:

���� �Authorized employee� means an
authorized employee, as defined in section 1 of P.L.1997, c.357 (C.27:25-5.6).

���� �Opioid antidote� means any
drug, regardless of dosage amount or method of administration, which has been
approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the
treatment of an opioid overdose.� �Opioid antidote� includes, but is not limited
to, naloxone hydrochloride, in any dosage amount, which is administered through
nasal spray or any other FDA-approved means or methods.

���� �Opioid overdose� means an
acute condition that a layperson would reasonably believe to require medical
assistance, which condition includes, but is not limited to, extreme physical
illness, decreased level of consciousness, respiratory depression, coma, or
death resulting from the consumption or use of an opioid drug or another
substance with which an opioid drug was combined.

���� �Train set� means a locomotive
and any accompanying light railcar, passenger car, or other car in the train or
a string of connected light rail cars.

���� 2.��� a.� The New Jersey
Transit Corporation, in consultation with the Deputy Commissioner of Public
Health Services, shall establish a two-year pilot program to provide an opioid
antidote on every light rail train set that operates in the southern part of
the State for the purpose of responding to an opioid overdose.

���� b.��� Under the pilot program,
the corporation shall:

���� (1) obtain a supply of an
opioid antidote and distribute the supply in quantities and types deemed
adequate by the corporation, in consultation with the Department of Health, to
every light rail train set;

���� (2) maintain one or more
secure and easily accessible locations on each light rail train set for storage
of an opioid antidote which, when the storage is opened, shall send a silent
alert to the train operator to notify the train operator of a potential opioid
overdose;

���� (3) stock each location
described in paragraph (2) of this subsection with at least two doses of an
opioid antidote;

���� (4) ensure that the opioid
antidote is appropriately maintained and made available at all times while the
light rail train set is in operation and used for light rail service; and

���� (5) mark the location of each
supply of the opioid antidote with a prominent sign in both English and Spanish
and include an informational card on how to recognize an opioid overdose, how
to administer the opioid antidote in response to an opioid overdose, and how to
contact emergency assistance.

���� c.���� Upon receiving notice
of a potential opioid overdose by the silent alert mechanism described in
paragraph (2) of subsection b. of this section, the train operator shall
contact emergency services at the nearest light rail station.

���� d.��� The corporation shall
require authorized employees, contractors, and any other staff members on a
light rail train set to:

���� (1)�� perform routine checks
on the opioid antidote locations;

���� (2) maintain a record of the
supply of the opioid antidote on each light rail train set, the maintenance of
each location, and any emergency uses of the opioid antidote; and

���� (3) conduct maintenance, as
needed.

���� e.���� Under the pilot
program, the corporation shall not require an authorized employee, contractor,
or any other staff member on light rail train sets to administer an opioid
antidote in the event of an opioid overdose or receive specialized training on
how to administer an opioid antidote.

���� 3.��� Within six months of the
expiration of the two-year pilot program, the New Jersey Transit Corporation
shall prepare a written report of the effectiveness of the pilot program and
recommendations on whether to implement a permanent program Statewide, which
report shall be submitted to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of
P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature.

���� 4.��� There is appropriated
$100,000 from the General Fund to the New Jersey Transit Corporation to defray
any costs incurred by the corporation to implement this act.

���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment and shall expire
upon submission of the report required to be prepared and submitted pursuant to
section 3 of this act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the New
Jersey Transit Corporation (corporation) to establish a two-year pilot program,
in consultation with the Deputy Commissioner of Public Health Services, to
provide an opioid antidote on every light rail train set that operates in the
southern part of the State for the purpose of responding to an opioid overdose.

���� Under the pilot program, the
corporation is required to: (1) obtain a supply of an opioid antidote and
distribute the supply in quantities and types deemed adequate by the
corporation, in consultation with the Department of Health, to every light rail
train set; (2) maintain one or more secure and easily accessible locations on
each light rail train set which, when the storage is opened, is to send a
silent alert to the train operator to notify the train operator of a potential
opioid overdose; (3) stock each location with at least two doses of an opioid
antidote; (4) ensure that the opioid antidote is appropriately maintained and
made available at all times while the light rail train set is in operation and
used for light rail service; and (5) mark the location of each supply of the
opioid antidote with a prominent sign in both English and Spanish and include
an informational card on how to recognize an opioid overdose, administer the
opioid antidote, and contact emergency assistance.� In addition, authorized
employees of the corporation, contractors, and any other staff members on a
light rail train set are required to perform routine checks on the opioid
antidote locations; maintain a record of the opioid antidote supply on each
light rail train set, the maintenance of each location, and any emergency uses
of the opioid antidote; and conduct maintenance, as needed.

���� Under the pilot program, an
authorized employee, contractor, or any other staff member on light rail train
sets is not required to receive specialized training on how to administer an
opioid antidote or administer an opioid antidote in the event of an opioid
overdose.

���� The corporation is required to
prepare a written report of the effectiveness of the pilot program and
recommendations on whether to implement a permanent program Statewide and to
submit the report to the Governor and Legislature within six months of the expiration
of the two-year pilot program.

���� This bill appropriates
$100,000 from the General Fund to the corporation.� The bill expires upon
submission of the report.