January 14, 2020
The Arc of New Jersey is pleased to share that a number of bills we advocated for impacting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) were signed into law this week by Governor Murphy. 

This includes: 
  • A4608 - the Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Act. Throughout 2019, The Arc of New Jersey worked with the Senate and Assembly sponsors to ensure this legislation properly regulated professionals practicing Applied Behavior Analysis while ensuring other behavioral supports were still deliverable by other licensed professionals.
  • S484 which revises the State’s newborn screening program and establishes a Newborn Screening Advisory Review Committee which will be authorized to make recommendations on the disorders to be screened for by the Department of Health, as well as on screening technologies, treatment options, and educational and follow-up procedures, to be used in the State’s newborn screening program.
  • S4141, also known as “Paul’s Law.” Under "Paul's Law," the parents or guardians of a student with epilepsy or a seizure disorder can submit a yearly seizure action plan to the school nurse. The board of education will coordinate the epilepsy and seizure disorder care at schools and ensure the training of all staff.

The Arc of New Jersey supported all three pieces of legislation mentioned above.

Unfortunately,  the Governor vetoed S4139 which would have provided new money in the amount of $250,000 to the Special Care Treatment Center at the Rutgers University School of Dental Medicine. Often times, individuals with I/DD face long wait times to receive oral care as there are a limited number of dentists willing to serve this population. The funding in the bill, which was earmarked for hiring one additional dentist at the Special Care Treatment Center, would have assisted more people with I/DD in need of dental services. To read the Governor’s veto message on S4139, click here . The Arc of New Jersey will continue to advocate for dental care for people with I/DD in the new legislative session with lawmakers and the Governor.

The legislative session ends today and any remaining bills that are not signed into law will die and must be introduced again in the new session. The Governor is scheduled to give his State of the State address at 3 pm today.
Thank you for all your continued advocacy!
The Arc of NJ | 732.246.2525 | advocacy@arcnj.org | www.arcnj.org