Through the work of the Advocacy Committee, ONL NJ keeps abreast of the latest issues affecting nursing on legislative, regulatory and practice areas. The overall purpose is to influence and have a measurable impact on healthcare policy in New Jersey. The strategic objectives of the ONL NJ advocacy and policy efforts include the following:
- Seek to proactively impact political and legislative issues related to nursing practice and healthcare
- Meet with legislators and attend legislative forums to represent NJ nurses and healthcare interests
- Contribute to the development and presentation of position statements
- Maintain representatives in Trenton who seek to establish relationships with legislators and keep us informed on nursing related policies and bills.
Legislative Priorities
State of new jersey 220th legislature
2022-2023 Session
S2825 Vitale / A4325 Lampitt
Establishes certain requirements and initiatives related to nurses, transfers oversight of certified nurses’ aides from DOH to BON; appropriates $26.7 million
- ONL NJ supports this measure
A2286 Munoz / S1522 Vitale
Eliminates certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses.
- ONL NJ supports this measure.
- Position Statement
A256 Munoz / S732 Madden
Requires health care facilities to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke via use of smoke evacuation system.
- ONL NJ supports this measure.
- Surgical Smoke Evacuation Systems S732_A256 Position Statement.pdf
- Passed in the Assembly and the Senate, awaiting Governor's signature
S304 Vitale
Establishes minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities and certain DHS facilities.
- ONL NJ opposes this measure and is coordinating efforts with other members of the nursing and health industry in NJ to provide alternatives to staffing ratios
- These alternatives address the needs of individual hospitals and patients and help provide better healthcare outcomes
- ONL NJ has facilitated the implementation of the Nursing Workplace Environment and Staffing Council (NWESC) model in 44 hospitals in New Jersey. More information on this program is available in the NWESC area of the ONL NJ website.
- Nurse Staffing Position Statement
S2008 Singleton/Madden / A3199 Greenwald, Sumter, Jaffer, Swain, Benson
Health Care Heroes Violence Prevention Act
- ONL NJ supports this measure.
A2259 Murphy
An act establishing a Chief Nurse Executive Position in the Department of Health.
- ONL NJ supports this measure.
Contact: Susan Cholewka, Executive Director, scholewka@onlnj.org