Emergency Health Powers Act
New Jersey · Health and Vital Statistics · §§ 26:13-1 to 26:13-9 · 37 sections
Overview
The act sets out how a state prepares for and responds to a public health emergency, defining who may declare one, what triggers investigation and reporting of a suspected threat, and how a declaration is terminated. It grants the state health commissioner broad emergency authority — to order isolation and quarantine, compel diagnostic specimens, control and ration medications and medical supplies, direct the safe disposal of infectious waste, and take control of health care facilities, property, roads, and other public areas — subject to procedural safeguards including hearings and fixed expiration of emergency orders. It also establishes the supporting machinery around those powers: registries of emergency health care personnel and of biological agents, rules on access to and confidentiality of medical information, employment reinstatement rights for people released from isolation or quarantine, immunity from civil and criminal liability for responders, and a board and claims process for reimbursing emergency costs.
Editorial summary generated from the text of this act. It is not part of the statute — read the sections below for the operative language.
In the courts
Sections of this act have been cited in 1 court decision.
Most-cited authority: 93 F.4th 66 - Children's Health Defense Inc. v.
Sections covered
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-1Short title1 cite
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-10Powers of commissioner relative to safe disposal of infectious waste
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-11Powers of commissioner relative to medications, medical supplies; rationing
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-12Measures to prevent transmission, exposure
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-13Orders to submit specimen for diagnostic purposes
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-14Powers of commissioner during public health emergency
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-15Isolation, quarantine procedures
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-16Reinstatement of employment after isolation, quarantine
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-17Access to medical information
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-17.1Information disseminated during times of public health emergencies
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-18Emergency powers regarding health care personnel
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-19Definitions relative to, and immunity from liability
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-2Definitions relative to emergency health powers
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-20Protective action relative to radiological emergency, conditions
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-21LINCS agencies to serve as planning, coordinating agency for local government entity
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-22Definitions relative to biological agents, Biological Agent Registry
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-23New Jersey Vaccine Education and Prioritization Plan
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-24State Public Health Emergency Claim Reimbursement Board
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-25Claims for reimbursement
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-26Material not considered public, government record
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-27Power of enforcement
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-28Laws, regulations not preempted by act
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-29Additional powers of Chief State Medical Examiner
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-3Declaration of public health emergency
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-30Construction of act relative to Highway Traffic Safety Act
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-31Guidelines for health care, social services resources offered at emergency warming centers during a Code Blue alert
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-32Expiration of certain executive orders
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-33Civil, criminal liability; expiration
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-34Expiration of orders, directives, waivers issued due to public health emergency
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-35Certain powers undiminished, impaired by termination of public health emergency
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-36Authority relative to termination of public health emergency
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-4Investigation of incident, imminent threat; reporting requirements
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-5Duties of commissioner relative to public health emergency
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-6Emergency Health Care Provider Registry
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-7Actions during state of public health emergency, coordination
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-8Powers of commissioner relative to facilities, property; hearing
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:13-9Powers of commissioner relative to health care, other facilities, property, roads, public areas
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