Bill Text: NJ A3958 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes program in New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing for support of residency programs at veterans' memorial homes in New Jersey; appropriates $500,000.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A3958 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A3958-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN V. AZZARITI JR., M.D.
District 39 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes program in New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing for support of residency programs at veterans' memorial homes in New Jersey; appropriates $500,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning residency programs for nurses, supplementing and amending P.L.2002, c.116, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) The New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing ("NJCCN") shall establish a program through which veterans' memorial homes may apply to receive financial, material, and technical support from the NJCCN to implement a residency program for licensed practical nurses and registered professional nurses, or one of these professions.
2. (New section) a. The NJCCN shall:
(1) establish and update, as necessary, requirements for a residency program created in accordance with P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The requirements shall include, at a minimum:
(a) a 12-month timeline for a residency;
(b) a full-time schedule for residents;
(c) support for residents by a preceptor; and
(d) collection of data by the memorial home to send to the NJCCN regarding the number of individuals who completed a residency program with the memorial home and remained at the memorial home after residency completion for full-time employment; and
(2) establish criteria for eligibility of veterans' memorial homes to participate in the program created in accordance with section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
b. To participate in the program, established pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), a veterans' memorial home shall submit an application, in a form as determined by the NJCCN in consultation with the advisory committee, and shall include the following information:
(1) the number of eligible openings to be offered in a residency program; and
(2) the status of the residency program as either newly established or being updated.
c. Applications shall be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.
d. Upon approval of an application, the New Jersey Board of Nursing shall provide funding to the NJCCN to offer the financial, material, and technical support to the approved veterans' memorial home, in an amount determined based on various criteria, including, but not limited to, the information submitted in the application pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (2) of subsection b. of this section.
3. (New section) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing the sum of $500,000 to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. Section 4 of P.L.2002, c.116 (C.18A:65-92) is amended to read as follows:
4. The board shall:
a. determine global policies for the center;
b. implement the primary goals of the center as established in this act;
c. appoint a multidisciplinary advisory council to provide input and advice on policy matters. The advisory council shall include representatives from all of the organizations represented in the collaborative of New Jersey Colleagues in Caring;
d. appoint a full-time executive director who shall serve at the pleasure of the board and shall be a person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The board shall authorize the executive director to employ such other staff as the executive director deems necessary and within the limits of funds available to the center. All policies and procedures concerning the hiring of center employees shall be the same as and consistent with the applicable policies and procedures of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey;
e. apply for and accept grants of money available for carrying out the policies and activities of the center from the federal government, and accept gifts, grants and bequests of funds from individuals, foundations, corporations, governmental agencies and other organizations and institutions to carry out the purposes of this act;
f. establish policies for the appointment of members of the board; and
g. submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature one year after the center is established, and every two years thereafter, on its activities and findings. The report shall include: (1) data on the participation of veterans' memorial homes in the NJCCN program established pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill); and (2) funds spent in the previous two years on materials and technical support supplied by the NJCCN to participating veterans' memorial homes. The report may include such recommendations for legislative action as the board deems appropriate. The board shall make its annual report available to members of the public, upon request.
(cf: P.L.2009, c.47, s.3)
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the twelfth month next following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a program through which veterans' memorial homes in New Jersey may apply to receive financial, material, and technical support from the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing ("NJCCN") to implement a residency program for licensed practical nurses and registered professional nurses, or one of these professions. To manage the operations of the program, the bill appropriates $500,000 to NJCCN. Data on the residency programs is to be collected for review by the Governor and Legislature.
