Establishes Task Force on Institutional Discrimination in Health Care.

A4176

ASSEMBLY, No. 4176

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Task Force on Institutional
Discrimination in Health Care.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
establishing the Task Force on Institutional
Discrimination in Health Care.

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

���� 1.��� a.� There is established
in the Department of Health the Task Force on Institutional Discrimination in
Health Care. The purpose of the task force shall be to study and evaluate
reasons for unequal health care outcomes among patients of different races and
socioeconomic classes.

���� b.��� The task force shall be
comprised of 19 members as follows:

���� (1)�� the Commissioner of
Health, or the commissioner�s designee, who shall serve ex officio;

���� (2)�� the Attorney General, or
the Attorney General�s designee;

���� (3)�� a representative from
the Office of Population Health in the Department of Health, or the
representative�s designee;

���� (4)�� a representative from
the Health Systems Branch of the Department of Health, or the representative�s
designee;

���� (5)�� the Director of the Division
on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety, or the director�s
designee;

���� (6)�� 10 members appointed by
the Governor, who shall include: one member from each of the following
entities: the State Board of Medical Examiners; the New Jersey Board of
Nursing; the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry; the New Jersey State Board of
Optometrists; the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners; the State Board of
Physical Therapy Examiners; the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
Advisory Committee in the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law
and Public Safety; Families USA; the New Jersey Hospital Association; and the
Office of Emergency Medical Services in the Department of Health;

���� (7)�� one member appointed by
the Governor upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate and one
member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader
of the Senate, both of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated
expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force; and

���� (8)�� one member appointed by
the Governor upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly and
one member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Minority
Leader of the General Assembly, both of whom shall be members of the public
with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force.

���� c.���� Appointments to the
task force shall be made within 30 days after the effective date of this act.�
Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointments were made.� Members of the task force shall
serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures
incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force within
the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the task force
for its purposes.

���� 2.��� The task force shall
organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days following the
appointment of its members. The task force shall choose a chairperson from
among its members and shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the
task force. The presence of 10 members of the task force shall constitute a
quorum.� The task force may conduct business without a quorum, but may only
vote on recommendations when a quorum is present.

���� 3.��� The Department of Health
shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants and
professional staff as the task force requires for its purposes.� The task force
shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of
the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau,
commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its
purposes.

���� 4.��� The task force shall
study and evaluate aspects of the institution of health care that may
contribute to unequal health outcomes for patients of different races and
socioeconomic classes. The task force shall:

���� a.���� review existing
research, studies, and data concerning unequal health outcomes for patients of
different races and socioeconomic classes; and

���� b.��� identify specific
policies for diminishing unequal health outcomes for patients of different
races and socioeconomic classes, including, but not limited to, institutional
analyses of hospitals and other facilities and training on racism in the
medical profession.

���� 5.��� a.� The task force shall
issue a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of
P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than six months after the task force
organizes. The report shall contain the task force�s findings and recommendations.

���� b.��� The task force shall
expire 30 days after the issuance of its report.

���� 6.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the Task
Force on Institutional Discrimination in Health Care (task force).

���� Under the bill, the task force
is to study and evaluate aspects of the institution of health care that may
contribute to unequal health outcomes for patients of different races and
socioeconomic classes. The task force is to: (1) review existing research,
studies, and data concerning unequal health outcomes for patients of different
races and socioeconomic classes; and (2) identify specific policies for
diminishing unequal health outcomes for patients of different races and
socioeconomic classes, including, but not limited to, institutional analyses of
hospitals and other facilities and training on racism in the medical
profession.