Governor Murphy Signs Our Bills Further Strengthening Maternal and Infant Health

Assemblywomen Luanne Peterpaul and Margie Donlon

TINTON FALLS – Assemblywomen Margie Donlon and Luanne Peterpaul, D-Monmouth, announced bills to strengthen maternal and infant health signed into law in the final days of the Legislative session.

One of the bills, A4848, on which Assemblywoman Peterpaul is a prime sponsor, requires healthcare professionals to perform lead screening on pregnant women under certain circumstances. Research shows that lead is directly connected to illnesses that’ve been linked to maternal deaths in New Jersey. Lead also is associated with many things that are risk factors in pregnancy, according to the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute at Rutgers University.

“We are not just protecting individual families but also promoting the health and safety of our communities across New Jersey,” said Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul. “A4848 will ensure pregnant patients receive the necessary testing and care they deserve in addition to fostering awareness and education about this critical issue.”

The new law requires health care professionals to perform lead screening based on the most recent guidelines and recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Another of the bills, A5459, extends the time period for enrolling newborns in health benefits coverage from 60 days to 90 days.

“The arrival of a new child is not just a cause for celebration but also a period of adjustment where families should not have to worry about the paperwork needed to ensure their child’s care is covered by insurance,” said Assemblywoman Donlon, a physician and a primary sponsor of the bill. “This legislation helps ensure that every newborn infant can receive the care they need without parents having to worry about the financial uncertainty that can come with medical care.”

The Governor also signed two other bills regarding maternal health care and cosponsored by Assemblywomen Donlon and Peterpaul into law. One bill, A4222, requires the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority to establish a public awareness campaign on the benefits of doula and midwife services. The second bill, A3810, requires a paid or part-paid fire department to adopt a policy addressing job-related issues of pregnant firefighters.

Senator Vin Gopal, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County elected in 2018, serves as Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Education Committee. Assemblywoman Dr. Margie Donlon, a practicing physician, serves as vice chair of the Assembly Health and the Tourism, Gaming & the Arts Committees; Assemblywoman Luanne Peterpaul, Esq., serves on the Assembly Commerce, Economic Development & Agriculture, Aging and Human Services, and the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committees They represent residents of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, and Tinton Falls in the State Senate and State Assembly.