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S3976 • 2026

Prohibits hospital, during public health emergency or critical staffing shortage, to rely exclusively on vendor management systems.

Prohibits hospital, during public health emergency or critical staffing shortage, to rely exclusively on vendor management systems.

Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Singer, Robert W.
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibits hospital, during public health emergency or critical staffing shortage, to rely exclusively on vendor management systems.

Prohibits hospital, during public health emergency or critical staffing shortage, to rely exclusively on vendor management systems.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits hospital, during public health emergency or critical staffing shortage, to rely exclusively on vendor management systems.
  • Topic: Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-19 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

Official Summary Text

Prohibits hospital, during public health emergency or critical staffing shortage, to rely exclusively on vendor management systems.
Topic:
Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S3976

SENATE, No. 3976

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ROBERT W. SINGER

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Prohibits hospital, during public health emergency or
critical staffing shortage, to rely exclusively on vendor management systems.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning vendor procurement at hospitals and
supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

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

����
1.��� a.
During a public health emergency declared pursuant to P.L.2005, c.222
(C.26:13-1 et seq.) or a hospital-specific critical staffing shortage, as
identified pursuant to criteria established by the Commissioner of Health, a
hospital licensed in this State pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et al.)
shall:

���� (1)�� be
prohibited from exclusively relying on a vendor management system for the
procurement of third-party staff; and

���� (2)�� demonstrate
a good faith effort in utilizing all available methods of procuring third-party
staff, including contracting directly with staffing agencies authorized to
operate in the State, to remedy any staffing shortages at the hospital.

���� b.��� The
Department of Health shall ensure, by means of its periodic inspection of a
hospital and information posted by a hospital
pursuant to subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.2025, c.21
(C.26:2H-5g)
, that a hospital subject to the
provisions of this act has complied, when applicable, with the provisions of
subsection a. of this act.

���� c.���� A
hospital that fails to comply with the provisions of subsection a. of this act
shall be liable to a penalty in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of
P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-13).

���� d.��� Nothing
in the act shall be construed to alter or pause any existing State or federal
laws or regulations regarding vendor credentialing and compliance.�

���� e.���� As used in this act,
�vendor management system� means a
specialized software platform or programmatic approach designed to centralize
the procurement, credentialing, and compliance management of third-party
vendors and contingent staff, such as travel nurses or technicians.

���� 2.���
The Commissioner
of Health shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure
Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), such rules and regulations as
are necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

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

STATEMENT

����
This
bill prohibits a hospital licensed in this State, during a public health
emergency or a hospital-specific critical staffing shortage, from exclusively
relying on a vendor management system for the procurement of third-party staff.
�Under these conditions, the bill requires a hospital to demonstrate a good
faith effort in utilizing all available methods of procuring third-party staff,
including contracting directly with staffing agencies authorized to operate in
the State, to remedy any staffing shortages at the hospital. �Under the bill, a

�vendor management system�
means a specialized software platform or programmatic approach designed to
centralize the procurement, credentialing, and compliance management of
third-party vendors and contingent staff, such as travel nurses or technicians.

���� The
bill directs the Department of Health to ensure, by means of its periodic
inspection of a hospital and information posted by a hospital
pursuant to State law
, that a hospital subject to the bill is in compliance with
these provisions.� A hospital that fails to comply with these provisions would be
liable to a penalty, in accordance with State law, as assessed and collected by
the Department of Health.