(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 5/13/2024) ASSEMBLY, No. 2198 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 221st LEGISLATURE PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION Sponsored by: Assemblywoman BARBARA MCCANN STAMATO District 31 (Hudson) Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT District 29 (Essex and Hudson) Co-Sponsored by: Assemblyman Verrelli, Assemblywomen Peterpaul, Donlon and Reynolds- Jackson SYNOPSIS Clarifies DHS authority to regulate sober living homes and halfway houses as residential substance abuse aftercare facilities; requires background checks and other protections for residents of residential substance abuse facilities. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT As reported by the Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee with technical review. A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 2 EXPLANATION – Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law. Matter underlined thus is new matter. AN ACT concerning the regulation of certain facilities by the 1 Department of Human Serv ices and amending and 2 supplementing P.L.1975, c.305 and P.L.1970, c.334, amending 3 P.L.1982, c.149, and supplementing Titles 26 and 53 of the 4 Revised Statues. 5 6 BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 7 of New Jersey: 8 9 1. Section 2 of P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-8) is amended to read 10 as follows: 11 2. The following words as used in P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et 12 seq.) shall, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following 13 meanings: 14 "Administrator" means the person in charge of the operation of a 15 facility, or his designee. 16 "Admitted" means accepted for treatment at a facility. 17 "Assistant commissioner" means the Assistant Commissioner of 18 the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the 19 Department of Human Services. 20 "Authorized persons" means persons who serve as volunteer first 21 aid or ambulance squad members, para-professional medical 22 personnel, and rehabilitated persons with alcohol use disorder. 23 "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Human Services. 24 "Department" means the Department of Human Services. 25 "Director" means the Director of the Division of Mental Health 26 and Addiction Services. 27 "Division" means the Division of Mental Health and Addiction 28 Services in the Department of Human Services. 29 "Facility" means any public, private place, or portion thereof 30 providing services especially designed for the treatment of intoxicated 31 persons or persons with alcohol use disorder; including, but not limited 32 to intoxication treatment centers, inpatient treatment facilities, 33 outpatient facilities, and residential aftercare facilities. 34 "Incapacitated" means the condition of a person who is: a. as a 35 result of the use of alcohol, unconscious or has judgment so impaired 36 that the person is incapable of realizing and making a rational decision 37 with respect to the person's need for treatment, b. in need of substantial 38 medical attention, or c. likely to suffer substantial physical harm. 39 "Independent physician" means a physician other than one holding 40 an office or appointment in any department, board or agency of the 41 State or in any public facility. 42 "Intoxicated person" means a person whose mental or physical 43 functioning is substantially impaired as a result of the use of alcoholic 44 beverages. 45 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 3 "Patient" means any person admitted to a facility. 1 "Person with alcohol use disorder" means any person who 2 chronically, habitually, or periodically consumes alcoholic beverages 3 to the extent that: a. such use substantially injures the person's health 4 or substantially interferes with the person's social or economic 5 functioning in the community on a continuing basis, or b. the person 6 has lost the power of self-control with respect to the use of such 7 beverages. 8 "Private facility" means a facility other than one operated by the 9 federal government, the State of New Jersey, or any political 10 subdivision thereof. 11 "Public facility" means a facility operated by the State of New 12 Jersey or any political subdivision thereof. 13 "Treatment" means services and programs for the care or 14 rehabilitation of intoxicated persons and persons with alcohol use 15 disorder, including, but not limited to, medical, psychiatric, 16 psychological, vocational, educational, recreational, and social 17 services and programs. 18 (cf: P.L.2023, c.177, s.58) 19 20 2. Section 6 of P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-12) is amended to 21 read as follows: 22 6. The department shall take cognizance of all matters affecting 23 alcohol use disorder in the State and shall establish and conduct a 24 program for the treatment of intoxicated persons and persons with an 25 alcohol use disorder. 26 The program may encourage regionalization of services and, if not 27 otherwise available, provide for the following facilities, which need 28 not be separately located: 29 a. Intoxication treatment centers, which centers shall render 30 emergency medical care, including detoxification, shall be open 24 31 hours every day, and shall be located conveniently near population 32 centers. Services shall be provided for the immediate physical and 33 social needs, including the needs for medication and shelter, of 34 intoxicated persons, and shall also provide for initial examination, 35 diagnosis and referral. To the extent possible, such treatment centers 36 shall be affiliated with a general or other hospital. 37 b. Inpatient facilities, for treatment of persons with an alcohol use 38 disorder, which shall, to the extent possible, be affiliated with the 39 medical service of a general hospital, mental hospital, community 40 mental health center, or other hospital. 41 c. Outpatient facilities. 42 d. Residential aftercare facilities, such as halfway houses or 43 transitional sober living homes. 44 The department shall maintain, supervise and control all facilities 45 operated by it pursuant to P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) and all 46 such facilities shall be staffed with an adequate number of qualified 47 and trained personnel. The administrator of each [such] facility shall 48 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 4 make an annual report of its activities to the director in such manner 1 and form as the director may deem appropriate. All appropriate 2 resources, particularly community mental health centers, shall 3 whenever possible be utilized in and coordinated with the program. 4 Services delivered by the department pursuant to P.L.1975, c.305 5 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) may be administered on the premises of 6 institutions operated in whole or in part by the department of 7 institutions and agencies. Such services shall be administered as such 8 services are administered in the other facilities of the department and 9 shall in all respects be therapeutic in nature rather than penal or 10 correctional. 11 The department shall prepare and publish annually a list of all 12 [services] facilities and service-providing entities operating in 13 accordance with P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) and shall make 14 the list available , upon request , to members of the public, and shall 15 include the information on its website in accordance with the registry 16 established pursuant to section 17 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending 17 before the Legislature as this bill). The department shall notify all law 18 enforcement agencies and judges in the State of the location and 19 capacity of intoxication treatment centers and other [services] service-20 providing entities operating in accordance with [this act] P.L.1975, 21 c.305 (C26:2B-7 et seq.), which are situated in or near their 22 jurisdictions. 23 (cf: P.L.2017, c.131, s.73) 24 25 3. Section 2 of P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-22) is amended to 26 read as follows: 27 2. As used in this act: 28 "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of [Health] Human 29 Services. 30 “Department” means the Department of Human Services. 31 "Narcotic drug" means any narcotic, drug, or dangerous controlled 32 substance, as defined in any law of the State of New Jersey or of the 33 United States. 34 "Narcotic and drug abuse treatment center" means any 35 establishment, facility or institution, public or private, whether 36 operated for profit or not, which primarily offers, or purports to 37 offer, maintain, or operate facilities for the residential or outpatient 38 diagnosis, care, treatment, rehabilitation , or transitional sober 39 living of two or more nonrelated individuals, who are patients as 40 defined herein, excluding, however, any hospital or mental hospital 41 otherwise licensed by Title 30 of the Revised Statutes. 42 "Patient" means a person with a substance use disorder, or who 43 otherwise has a physical or mental impairment from the use of narcotic 44 drugs, or who is in the process of recovering from such addiction or 45 physical or mental suffering, and who requires the continuing care of a 46 substance use disorder treatment center. 47 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 5 "Substance use disorder treatment center" means any 1 establishment, facility or institution, public or private, whether 2 operated for profit or not, which primarily offers, or purports to offer, 3 maintain, or operate facilities for the residential or outpatient 4 diagnosis, care, treatment, or rehabilitation of two or more nonrelated 5 individuals, who are patients as defined herein, excluding, however, 6 any hospital or mental hospital otherwise licensed by Title 30 of the 7 Revised Statutes. 8 (cf: P.L.2023, c.177, s.83) 9 10 4. Section 5 of P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-25) is amended to 11 read as follows: 12 5. The commissioner shall adopt, amend, promulgate and enforce 13 such rules, regulations and minimum standards for the treatment of 14 patients of narcotic and substance use disorder treatment centers as 15 may be reasonably necessary to accomplish the purposes of P.L.1970, 16 c.334 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.). Such narcotic and substance use disorder 17 treatment centers may be classified into two or more classes with 18 appropriate rules, regulations and minimum standards for each such 19 class. The department’s classification system shall account for all 20 types of narcotic and drug abuse treatment centers, including, but not 21 limited to: (1) facilities that provide patients with detoxification, 22 medication-assisted treatment, or other intensive or emergency-level 23 drug abuse treatment on an inpatient basis; (2) facilities that provide 24 patients with detoxification, medication-assisted treatment, or other 25 drug abuse treatment, on an outpatient basis; and (3) residential 26 aftercare facilities, such as halfway houses and transitional sober living 27 homes, which help recovering drug addicts and abusers make a 28 successful and sober transition back into the community-at-large. No 29 narcotic or drug abuse treatment center, transitional sober living home, 30 halfway house, or other residential aftercare facility shall be permitted 31 to deny admission to a prospective client on the basis that the person is 32 currently receiving medication assisted treatment for a substance use 33 disorder administered by a licensed treatment provider, including but 34 not limited to methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, or any other 35 medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the 36 treatment of a substance use disorder. 37 The rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall, at 38 a minimum, require a transitional sober living home, halfway house, or 39 other residential aftercare facility to provide notice to a patient's 40 spouse, parent, legal guardian, designated next of kin, or other 41 designated emergency contact, whenever the patient voluntarily 42 withdraws, or is involuntarily evicted from, such facility, provided 43 that: (1) such notice is provided in a manner that is consistent with 44 federal requirements under 42 CFR Part 2 and federal HIPAA 45 requirements under 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164; and (2) the patient, if 46 an adult, has not withheld consent for such notice or expressly 47 requested that notification not be given. If a patient who is not 48 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 6 incapacitated withholds consent for such notice, or expressly requests 1 that notification not be given, the department shall require the patient's 2 wishes to be respected unless the patient is a minor child or adolescent, 3 in which case, the department shall require the minor's parent, legal 4 guardian, designated next of kin, or other designated emergency 5 contact to be notified, provided that such notification is not 6 inconsistent with, and would not violate, federal requirements under 7 42 CFR Part 2 and federal HIPAA requirements under 45 CFR Parts 8 160 and 164. 9 (cf: P.L.2017, c.256, s.1) 10 11 5. Section 1 of P.L.1982, c.149 (C.26:2H-11.1) is amended to 12 read as follows: 13 1. In the case of an application for a certificate of need or 14 initial licensure, as applicable, for a narcotic and drug abuse 15 treatment center to be located within 500 feet from any building in 16 this State used for the instruction of children between the ages of 17 five and 18 years, the applicant shall notify the governing body of 18 the municipality within which the applicant proposes to locate the 19 treatment center of the applicant's intention to apply for the 20 certificate of need or licensure and the proposed location of the 21 center. Documentation of the notice shall be filed with the 22 certificate of need or license application. The Commissioner of 23 Health is hereby authorized to adopt reasonable rules and 24 regulations, in accordance with the provisions of the 25 "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et 26 seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this act. For the purposes of this 27 act, the definition of "narcotic and drug abuse treatment center" 28 shall be identical to the definition in [subsection (a) of] section 2 of 29 P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-22). This act shall not apply to any 30 narcotic and drug abuse treatment center for which an application 31 was filed prior to the effective date of this act. 32 (cf: P.L.2012, c.17, s.177) 33 34 6. (New section) a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this 35 section, a facility regulated by the department pursuant to P.L.1975, 36 c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) shall not remove a resident from the 37 facility until at least one week following the date of delivery by the 38 facility to the resident of a written notice that advises the resident 39 that the resident shall be removed from the facility no less than one 40 week from the date of delivery of the notice. 41 b. The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall not 42 apply if the resident of the facility poses an immediate and serious 43 threat to other residents of the facility or to the facility. 44 c. As used in this section, "immediate and serious threat" 45 means that the resident causes or will imminently cause a serious 46 injury, harm, impairment, or death to a resident of the facility, or 47 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 7 causes or will imminently cause an incident affecting the safety of 1 the facility. 2 3 7. (New section) In addition to any other inspection of a 4 facility regulated by the department pursuant to P.L.1975, c.305 5 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.), the department shall conduct a biweekly 6 inspection of a facility if the facility is under investigation for a 7 violation of P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) or any rules and 8 regulations adopted pursuant thereto, or under any other authority. 9 The biweekly inspection shall continue until such time as the 10 investigation is concluded. 11 12 8. (New section) a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this 13 section, a narcotic and drug abuse treatment center regulated by the 14 department pursuant to P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.) shall 15 not remove a resident from the center until at least one week 16 following the date of delivery by the center to the resident of a 17 written notice that advises the resident that the resident shall be 18 removed from the center no less than one week from the date of 19 delivery of the notice. 20 b. The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall not 21 apply if the resident of the center poses an immediate and serious 22 threat to other residents of the center or to the center. 23 c. As used in this section, "immediate and serious threat" 24 means that the resident causes or will imminently cause a serious 25 injury, harm, impairment, or death to a resident of the center, or 26 causes or will imminently cause an incident affecting the safety of 27 the center. 28 29 9. (New section) In addition to any other inspection of a 30 narcotic and drug abuse treatment center regulated by the 31 department pursuant to P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.), the 32 department shall conduct a biweekly inspection of a center if the 33 center is under investigation for a violation of P.L.1970, c.334 34 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.) or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant 35 thereto, or under any other authority. The biweekly inspection shall 36 continue until such time as the investigation is concluded. 37 38 10. (New section) As used in sections 10 through 14 of 39 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill): 40 "Administrator" means the person in charge of the operation of a 41 facility. 42 "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Human Services. 43 "Department" means the Department of Human Services. 44 "Facility" means a facility as defined in section 2 of P.L.1975, 45 c.305 (C.26:2B-8) or a narcotic and drug abuse treatment center as 46 defined in section 2 of P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2G-22), and includes 47 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 8 a residential aftercare facility, such as a halfway house or 1 transitional sober living home. 2 "Owner of the physical plant" or "owner" means the person who 3 owns the property on which the facility is located. 4 "Representative payee" means a person who is employed by a 5 facility and receives government benefits on behalf of an individual 6 residing in the facility. 7 8 11. (New section) a. The commissioner shall not issue a license 9 or certificate of approval, as applicable, to a facility pursuant to 10 P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) or P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-21 11 et seq.), unless the Commissioner of Human Services determines, 12 consistent with the requirements of sections 10 through 14 of 13 P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), 14 that no criminal history record information exists on file in the 15 Federal Bureau of Investigation, Identification Division, or in the 16 State Bureau of Identification in the Division of State Police in the 17 Department of Law and Public Safety, which would: disqualify a 18 person from employment as an administrator or representative 19 payee at the facility; or reveal that an owner of the physical plant of 20 a facility has been convicted of crimes or offenses that would 21 disqualify a person from securing or maintaining a license or 22 certificate of approval for a facility. 23 b. If an administrator, representative payee, or owner of the 24 physical plant of a facility refuses to consent to, or cooperate in, the 25 securing of a criminal history record background check pursuant to 26 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the 27 department shall suspend, deny, revoke, or refuse to renew the 28 license or certificate of approval of a facility, as applicable. 29 30 12. (New section) In the case of a facility established prior to 31 the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the 32 Legislature as this bill), the commissioner shall require each 33 administrator, representative payee, or owner of the physical plant 34 of a facility to submit to the department a request for a criminal 35 history record background check within 60 days of the effective 36 date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this 37 bill) for processing by the Division of State Police and the Federal 38 Bureau of Investigation. 39 40 13. (New section) a. A person shall be disqualified from 41 securing or maintaining a license or certificate of approval, as 42 applicable, of a facility if the criminal history record background 43 check of the person who is the owner of the physical plant of the 44 facility or a person who seeks and is subsequently employed or is 45 currently employed as an administrator or representative payee 46 reveals a record of conviction of any of the following crimes and 47 offenses: 48 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 9 (1) In New Jersey, any crime or disorderly persons offense: 1 (a) involving danger to the person, meaning those crimes and 2 disorderly persons offenses set forth in N.J.S.2C:11-1 et seq., 3 N.J.S.2C:12-1 et seq., N.J.S.2C:13-1 et seq., N.J.S.2C:14-1 et seq. 4 or N.J.S.2C:15-1 et seq.; or 5 (b) against the family, children or incompetents, meaning those 6 crimes and disorderly persons offenses set forth in N.J.S.2C:24-1 et 7 seq.; or 8 (c) involving theft as set forth in chapter 20 of Title 2C of the 9 New Jersey Statutes; or 10 (d) involving any controlled dangerous substance or controlled 11 substance analog as set forth in chapter 35 of Title 2C of the New 12 Jersey Statutes except paragraph (4) of subsection a. of 13 N.J.S.2C:35-10. 14 (2) In any other state or jurisdiction, of conduct which, if 15 committed in New Jersey, would constitute any of the crimes or 16 disorderly persons offenses described in paragraph (1) of this 17 subsection. 18 b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this 19 section, no person shall be disqualified pursuant to this section on 20 the basis of any conviction disclosed by a criminal history record 21 background check performed pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. )(pending 22 before the Legislature as this bill) if the person has affirmatively 23 demonstrated to the commissioner clear and convincing evidence of 24 the person's rehabilitation. In determining whether a person has 25 affirmatively demonstrated rehabilitation, the following factors 26 shall be considered: 27 (1) the nature and responsibility of the position which the 28 convicted person would hold, has held or currently holds, as the 29 case may be; 30 (2) the nature and seriousness of the offense; 31 (3) the circumstances under which the offense occurred; 32 (4) the date of the offense; 33 (5) the age of the person when the offense was committed; 34 (6) whether the offense was an isolated or repeated incident; 35 (7) any social conditions which may have contributed to the 36 offense; and 37 (8) any evidence of rehabilitation, including good conduct in 38 prison or in the community, counseling or psychiatric treatment 39 received, acquisition of additional academic or vocational 40 schooling, successful participation in correctional work-release 41 programs, or the recommendation of those who have had the person 42 under their supervision. 43 44 14. (New section) a. A person who is required to undergo a 45 criminal history record background check pursuant to sections 10 46 through 13 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature 47 as this bill) shall submit to the commissioner that person's name, 48 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 10 address, and fingerprints. The commissioner is authorized to 1 exchange fingerprint data with and receive criminal history record 2 information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the 3 Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public 4 Safety for use in making the determinations required by 5 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the legislature as this bill). 6 b. Upon receipt of the criminal history record information for a 7 person from the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Division of 8 State Police, the commissioner shall immediately notify, in writing: 9 (1) the person and the person's employer, as applicable, or the 10 person's prospective employer, if known, of the person's 11 qualification or disqualification for employment as an administrator 12 or payee representative. If the person is disqualified, the conviction 13 or convictions which constitute the basis for the disqualification 14 shall be identified in the notice to the person, but shall not be 15 identified in the notice to the person's employer or prospective 16 employer; or, as applicable, 17 (2) the person who is the owner of the physical plant and the 18 facility which is located on the property of the owner, of a person's 19 qualification or disqualification for securing or maintaining a 20 license pursuant to P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) or 21 certificate of approval pursuant to P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-22 21 et seq.). The owner shall be notified of the conviction or 23 convictions which constitute the results of the owner's criminal 24 history record background check. If the results reveal that a person 25 would be disqualified from securing or maintaining a license or 26 certificate of approval, the crimes and offenses shall be identified in 27 the notice to the owner, but shall not be identified in the notice to 28 the facility which is located on the property of the owner. 29 c. The person who is the subject of the background check shall 30 have 30 days from the date of the written notice of disqualification 31 to petition the commissioner for a hearing on the accuracy of the 32 person's criminal history record information or to establish the 33 person's rehabilitation under subsection b. of section 13 of 34 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). 35 The commissioner shall notify the person's employer or prospective 36 employer or the person securing or maintaining a license or 37 certificate of approval, as applicable, of the person's petition for a 38 hearing within five days following the receipt of the petition from 39 the person. Upon the issuance of a final decision upon a petition to 40 the commissioner pursuant to this subsection, the commissioner 41 shall notify the person and the person's employer or prospective 42 employer or the owner of the physical plant and the person securing 43 or maintaining a license or certificate of approval, as applicable, as 44 to whether the person remains disqualified for employment or 45 whether a person securing or maintaining a license or certificate of 46 approval remains disqualified under P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending 47 before the Legislature as this bill). 48 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 11 d. (1) A facility that has received an employment application 1 from a person who is seeking employment as an administrator or 2 representative payee or that currently employs an administrator or 3 representative payee, and: 4 (a) receives notice from the commissioner that the prospective 5 or current administrator or representative payee has been 6 determined by the commissioner to be disqualified to be an 7 administrator or representative payee; or 8 (b) terminates its employment of an administrator or 9 representative payee because the person was disqualified from 10 employment as an administrator or representative payee on the basis 11 of a conviction of a crime or offense as described in section 13 of 12 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill); 13 shall be immune from liability for disclosing that disqualification or 14 termination in good faith to another facility that may employ that 15 person as an administrator or representative payee. 16 17 15. (New section) A person who undergoes a criminal history 18 record background check pursuant to sections 10 through 14 of 19 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) 20 shall assume the cost of the criminal history record background 21 check conducted pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before 22 the Legislature as this bill). 23 24 16. (New section) a. The Commissioner of Human Services is 25 authorized to exchange fingerprint data with, and to receive 26 information from, the Division of State Police in the Department of 27 Law and Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 28 accordance with the provisions of sections 10 through 14 of 29 P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). 30 b. The Division of State Police shall promptly notify the 31 Department of Human Services in the event a person who was the 32 subject of a criminal history record background check conducted 33 pursuant to subsection a. of this section, is convicted of a crime or 34 offense in this State after the date the background check was 35 performed. Upon receipt of such notification, the department shall 36 make a determination regarding the employment of the 37 administrator or representative payee, or the maintenance of a 38 license or certificate of approval, as applicable, of a facility 39 pursuant to sections 10 through 14 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending 40 before the Legislature as this bill). 41 42 17. (New section) a. The Division of Mental Health and 43 Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services shall 44 oversee the development and maintenance of a registry, which shall 45 collect and track the information received pursuant to subsection e. 46 of this section about the number of openings available for persons 47 seeking residency in each facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1975, 48 A2198 MCCANN STAMATO , SPEIGHT 12 c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.) and each narcotic and drug abuse 1 treatment center issued a certificate of approval pursuant to 2 P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.) in the State. 3 b. The information maintained in the registry shall include, by 4 county: 5 (1) the name, address and telephone number of the facility or 6 center; 7 (2) the type of services provided by the facility or center; 8 (3) the maximum occupancy of the facility or center; and 9 (4) the number of openings available for persons seeking 10 residency, based on the information received pursuant to subsection 11 e. of this section. 12 c. The information described in subsection b. of this section 13 shall be: 14 (1) prominently displayed on the website of the department and 15 provide for a search by county or the name of the facility or center; 16 (2) made available to the public, upon request, through the 17 addictions telephone hotline and the Statewide 2-1-1 telephone 18 system; and 19 (3) made available using any other means that the 20 Commissioner of Human Services deems appropriate. 21 d. The commissioner is authorized to solicit, receive, and 22 accept grants, funds, or anything of value from any public or private 23 entity and receive and accept contributions of money, property, 24 labor, or any other thing of value from any legitimate source for the 25 purpose of the development and maintenance of a registry pursuant 26 to this section. 27 e. Each facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-28 7 et seq.) and each narcotic and drug abuse treatment center issued a 29 certificate of approval pursuant to P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-30 21 et seq.) shall submit to the registry developed and maintained 31 pursuant to this section, no less than once a day, information 32 advising of the number of openings that are available in the facility 33 or center on that day. 34 35 18. The Commissioner of Human Services shall, in accordance 36 with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 37 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt any rules and regulations as the 38 commissioner deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this 39 act. 40 41 19. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh 42 month next following the date of enactment, except the 43 Commissioner of Human Services may take any anticipatory 44 administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the 45 implementation of this act. 46