Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Margie Donlon designed to strengthen protections for hospital patients with developmental disabilities cleared the Assembly Health Committee today. This bill ensures a level of support for patients who are unable to advocate for themselves.

Bill A2259 would authorize patients with developmental disabilities to have a designated family member, guardian, direct support professional, or other caregiver to accompany them in accordance with hospital policies necessary to ensure patient safety, privacy, infection control and clinical care.

“As a doctor, I know firsthand that patient care is the most important thing and everyone deserves a voice and to have their needs met and their concerns addressed,” said Assemblywoman Donlon (D-Monmouth). “This bill is about empowerment, dignity, and peace of mind for these patients and their families. Having a designated person to support and advocate for patients with developmental disabilities will enormously benefit both the patient and the hospital.” 

When patients are unable to self-advocate, this can lead to a higher risk of adverse events, unmet care needs and miscommunication about symptoms. Family members, guardians, and direct support professionals frequently serve as translators of behavior and needs, advocate for pain, preference, or consent while the patient is receiving care.

Under existing law, New Jersey’s Patient’s Bill of Rights guarantees respectful treatment, privacy, participation in care decisions, and family communication, but is silent on the presence of a caregiver for patients with disabilities, particularly under restrictive hospital visitation policies. This bill would codify caregiver access rights.

Under the bill, a patient may designate one caregiver at a time for the purposes of accompaniment.

The Assembly Health Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by Assemblywomen Shanique Speight and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson that would require the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Education and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, to develop and distribute comprehensive guidelines to help schools and colleges implement on-campus anti-vaping awareness campaigns.

Under bill A2195, the Department of Health would create and update guidance that equips school districts and institutions of higher education with research-backed strategies to combat the rising use of e-cigarettes among adolescents and young adults. The guidelines would be publicly available on each department’s website.

The guidelines must include recommendations for implementing multi-tiered, age-appropriate anti-vaping campaigns that promote positive behavioral change. They would also provide schools with research-based materials detailing the health risks of vaping, including its effects on lung health, mental health, pregnant women, workplace environments, and small children, as well as comparisons to traditional cigarette smoking.

“Strategic marketing and misinformation that downplay the serious health risks of vaping are targeting our young people,” said Assemblywoman Speight (D-Essex, Hudson). “This legislation ensures that schools and colleges have clear, research-driven tools to educate students about the dangers of e-cigarettes and empower them to make healthier decisions.”

Additionally, the guidance would encourage the use of decision-making models to help students resist peer pressure and make informed, healthy choices. Schools would also be encouraged to incorporate targeted marketing materials designed for middle school, high school, and college-age populations.

“We cannot ignore the growing number of adolescents and young adults who are becoming addicted to nicotine through vaping,” said Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson (D-Hunterdon, Mercer). “By providing structured, age-appropriate guidance and updating it annually, we would be giving educators the support they need to confront this public health challenge head-on and protect the long-term well-being of our students.”