Title 26, Title 26: HEALTH AND VITAL STATISTICS

26:13-13 Orders to submit specimen for diagnostic purposes. 13. a. During a state of public health emergency, the commissioner may issue and enforce orders to any person to submit a specimen for physical examinations or tests as may be necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of …

26:13-14 Powers of commissioner during public health emergency. 14. During a state of public health emergency, the commissioner may exercise the following powers as necessary to address the public health: a. Require the vaccination of persons as protection against infectious dise…

26:13-15 Isolation, quarantine procedures. 15. The following isolation and quarantine procedures shall be in effect during a state of public health emergency: a. The commissioner may exercise, for such period as the state of public health emergency exists, the following emergency…

26:13-16 Reinstatement of employment after isolation, quarantine. 16. a. Any person who has been placed in isolation or quarantine pursuant to an order of the commissioner and who at the time of quarantine or isolation was in the employ of any public or private employer, other th…

26:13-17 Access to medical information. 17. With respect to a state of public health emergency: a. Access to medical information of individuals who have participated in medical testing, treatment, vaccination, isolation or quarantine programs or efforts by the commissioner pursua…

26:13-17.1 Information disseminated during times of public health emergencies. 1. Throughout the duration of a public health emergency declared pursuant to P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.), to the extent practicable, information concerning food access programs and resources sh…

26:13-18 Emergency powers regarding health care personnel. 18. During a state of public health emergency, the commissioner may exercise, for such period as the state of public health emergency exists, the following emergency powers regarding health care personnel: a. To require i…

26:13-19 Definitions relative to, and immunity from liability. 19. a. As used in this section: "Injury" means death, injury to a person or damage to or loss of property. "Public entity" includes the State, and any county, municipality, district, public authority, public agency, a…

26:13-2 Definitions relative to emergency health powers. 2. As used in this act: "Biological agent" means any microorganism, virus, bacterium, rickettsiae, fungus, toxin, infectious substance, or biological product that may be naturally occurring or engineered as a result of biot…

26:13-20 Protective action relative to radiological emergency, conditions. 20. The commissioner may authorize any school, health care facility, child care center or youth camp to provide potassium iodide as a supplemental protective action during a radiological emergency to resid…

26:13-21 LINCS agencies to serve as planning, coordinating agency for local government entity. 21. a. In order to assist the department with comprehensive Statewide planning and coordination of all activities related to public health preparedness, LINCS agencies shall, at the dir…

26:13-22 Definitions relative to biological agents, Biological Agent Registry. 22. a. As used in this section: "Biological Agent" means: (1) any select agent that is a microorganism, virus, bacterium, fungus, rickettsia or toxin listed in Appendix A of Part 72 of Title 42 of the …

26:13-23 New Jersey Vaccine Education and Prioritization Plan. 23. a. The commissioner shall develop and implement a New Jersey Vaccine Education and Prioritization Plan, as provided in subsection b. of this section, when the commissioner determines that: (1) an emergent conditio…

26:13-24 State Public Health Emergency Claim Reimbursement Board. 24. a. There is hereby established in the Department of Health a State Public Health Emergency Claim Reimbursement Board. The board shall include the following members: the Commissioner of Health, who shall be the …

26:13-25 Claims for reimbursement. 25. a. Any person making a claim for reimbursement for private property or services employed, taken or used for a public purpose under this act shall, subsequent to the termination of the public health emergency, file a petition for an award wit…

26:13-26 Material not considered public, government record. 26. Any correspondence, records, reports and medical information made, maintained, received or filed pursuant to this act shall not be considered a public or government record under P.L.1963, c.73 (C. 47:1A-1 et seq.) an…

26:13-27 Power of enforcement. 27. The commissioner shall have the power to enforce the provisions of this act through the issuance of orders and such other remedies as are provided by law. L.2005,c.222,s.27.

26:13-28 Laws, regulations not preempted by act. 28. The provisions of this act do not explicitly preempt other laws or regulations that preserve to a greater degree the powers of the Governor or commissioner, provided such laws or regulations are consistent and do not otherwise …

26:13-29 Additional powers of Chief State Medical Examiner. 29. The powers granted in the act are in addition to, and not in derogation of, powers otherwise granted by law to the Chief State Medical Examiner. L.2005, c.222, s.29; amended 2018, c.62, s.36.

26:13-3 Declaration of public health emergency. 3. a. The Governor, in consultation with the commissioner and the Director of the State Office of Emergency Management, may declare a public health emergency. In declaring a public health emergency, the Governor shall issue an order…

26:13-30 Construction of act relative to Highway Traffic Safety Act. 30. The provisions of this act shall not be construed to abrogate the effect or status of the "New Jersey Highway Traffic Safety Act of 1987," P.L.1987, c.284 (C.27:5F-18 et seq.). L.2005,c.222,s.30.

26:13-31 Guidelines for health care, social services resources offered at emergency warming centers during a Code Blue alert. 1. The Department of Human Services shall establish guidelines for health care and social service resources that may be offered at emergency warming cente…

26:13-32 Expiration of certain executive orders. 1. All executive orders issued by the Governor prior to the effective date of this act, P.L.2021, c.103 (C.26:13-32 et seq.), that relied on the existence of the public health emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order N…

26:13-33 Civil, criminal liability; expiration. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of this act, P.L.2021, c.103 (C.26:13-32), allowing Executive Order No. 112 of 2020 to remain in place until January 1, 2022, any civil or criminal immunity related to the COVID-19 resp…

26:13-34 Expiration of orders, directives, waivers issued due to public health emergency. 3. a. Following the termination of the public health emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order No. 103 of 2020, as extended, the force and effect of any administrative order, dir…

26:13-35 Certain powers undiminished, impaired by termination of public health emergency. 4. The termination of the public health emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order No. 103 of 2020, as extended, shall in no way diminish, limit, or impair the powers of the Gover…

26:13-36 Authority relative to termination of public health emergency. 5. Following the termination of the public health emergency declared by the Governor in Executive Order No. 103 of 2020, as extended, the Governor, Commissioner of Health, and the head of any other State agenc…

26:13-4 Investigation of incident, imminent threat; reporting requirements. 4. a. In order to detect the occurrence or imminent threat of an occurrence of a public health emergency as defined in this act, the commissioner may take reasonable steps to investigate any incident or i…

26:13-5 Duties of commissioner relative to public health emergency. 5. Where the commissioner has reasonable grounds to believe a public health emergency exists, the commissioner shall: ascertain the existence of cases of an illness or health condition that may be potential cause…

26:13-6 Emergency Health Care Provider Registry. 6. The commissioner may establish a registry of health care workers, public health workers and support services personnel who voluntarily consent to provide health care, public health services and support logistics during a public …

26:13-7 Actions during state of public health emergency, coordination. 7. During a state of public health emergency or in response to a public health emergency: a. The commissioner, Chief State Medical Examiner, and Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall coordinate and co…

26:13-8 Powers of commissioner relative to facilities, property; hearing. 8. During a state of public health emergency, the commissioner may exercise the following powers over facilities or property: a. Facilities. To close, direct and compel the evacuation of, or to decontaminat…

26:13-9 Powers of commissioner relative to health care, other facilities, property, roads, public areas. 9. During a state of public health emergency, the commissioner may exercise, for such period as the state of public health emergency exists, the following powers concerning he…