Requires distribution of family leave informational materials to certain patients.

A2212

ASSEMBLY, No. 2212

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Quijano

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires distribution of family leave informational
materials to certain patients.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

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

��

An Act
concerning family leave, supplementing Title 26 of the
Revised Statutes, and amending P.L.2014, c.68.

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

���� 1.��� (New section)� The
Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Labor, shall
develop a pamphlet and other informational materials for distribution to
patients by health care professionals and licensed health care facilities
concerning the availability of programs developed pursuant to the "Family
Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.).� The department shall
make the pamphlet and other informational materials available to all health
care professionals and licensed health care facilities, as well as on its
Internet website, and shall distribute the pamphlet to health care
professionals and health care facilities that provide maternity care services.�
Health care professionals and licensed health care facilities that provide
maternity care services shall make the pamphlets and informational materials
available in patient waiting areas and shall distribute the pamphlet and
informational materials to maternity care patients upon discharge.

���� 2.��� Section 5 of P.L.2014,
c.68 (C.26:2H-5.28) is amended to read as follows:

���� 5.��� a.� As soon as possible
prior to a patient's discharge from a

hospital to the patient's
residence, the hospital shall consult with the designated caregiver and issue a
discharge plan that describes a patient's after-care assistance needs, if any,
at the patient's residence.� The consultation and issuance of a discharge plan
shall occur on a schedule that takes into consideration the severity of the
patient's condition, the setting in which care is to be delivered, and the
urgency of the need for caregiver services.� In the event the hospital is
unable to contact the designated caregiver, the lack of contact shall not
interfere with, delay, or otherwise affect the medical care provided to the
patient, or an appropriate discharge of the patient.� The hospital shall
promptly document the attempt in the patient's medical record.� At a minimum,
the discharge plan shall include:

���� (1)�� The name and contact
information of the caregiver designated under this act;

���� (2)�� A description of all
after-care assistance tasks necessary to maintain the patient's ability to
reside at home;
[
and
]

���� (3)�� Contact information for
any health care, community resources, and long-term services and supports
necessary to successfully carry out the patient's discharge plan, and contact
information for a hospital employee who can respond to questions about the discharge
plan after the instruction provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section

; and

����
(4)�� A copy of the
pamphlet and other informational materials prepared pursuant to section 1 of
P.L.��� , c.��� (C.�������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)
concerning the availability of programs developed pursuant to the "Family
Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.)
.

���� b.��� The hospital issuing the
discharge plan must provide caregivers with instructions in all after-care
assistance tasks described in the discharge plan.� Training and instructions
for caregivers may be conducted in person or through video technology, at the
discretion of the caregiver.� Any training or instructions provided to a
caregiver shall be provided in non-technical language, to the extent possible.�
At a minimum, this instruction shall include:

���� (1)�� A live or recorded
demonstration of the tasks performed by an individual designated by the
hospital, who is authorized to perform the after-care assistance task, and is
able to perform the demonstration in a culturally-competent manner and in
accordance with the hospital's requirements to provide language access services
under State and federal law;

���� (2)�� An opportunity for the
caregiver to ask questions about the after-care assistance tasks; and

���� (3)�� Answers to the
caregiver's questions provided in a culturally-competent manner and in
accordance with the hospital's requirements to provide language access services
under State and federal law.

���� c.���� Any instruction
required under this act shall be documented in the patient's medical record,
including, at a minimum, the date, time, and contents of the instruction.

(cf: P.L.2014, c.68, s.5)

���� 3.��� The Department of Health
shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act,"
P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules or regulations necessary to
effectuate the provisions of this act, including rules and regulations
requiring licensed health care facilities providing maternity care services to
provide maternity patients with the pamphlet and other informational materials
prepared pursuant to section 1 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.�������� ) (pending before
the Legislature as this bill) upon discharge.

���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect 180 days after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the Department of Health to
develop, in consultation with the Department of Labor, a pamphlet and
informational materials for patients concerning the availability of programs
developed pursuant to the �Family Leave Act,� P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et
seq.).� The department is to make the pamphlet and informational materials
available to all health care professionals and licensed health care facilities,
as well as through its Internet website, and will be required to distribute the
pamphlet and informational materials to health care professionals and health
care facilities that provide maternity care services.� Health care
professionals and facilities providing maternity care services will be required
to make the pamphlet and informational materials available in their patient
waiting areas, and to distribute the pamphlet and informational materials to
maternity care patients upon discharge.

���� The bill additionally requires hospitals providing a
discharge plan to a patient caregiver pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2014, c.68
(C.26:2H-5.28) to include a copy of the pamphlet and informational materials in
with the discharge plan.