SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR
CITIZENS COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No. 2339
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: FEBRUARY 22, 2024
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens
Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate
Bill No. 2339.
As amended by the committee, this bill requires the Department of
Health (DOH) to establish a State Parkinson’s disease registry.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic and progressive neurologic disorder
resulting from deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine as the
consequence of specific degenerative changes in the area of the brain
called the basal ganglia. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by
tremor at rest, slow movements, muscle rigidity, stooped posture, and
unsteady or shuffling gait. Parkinsonisms are movement abnormalities
and conditions that may overlap with or evolve from Parkinson’s
disease.
Under this bill, the DOH is to oversee the creation and
management of a Statewide Parkinson’s disease registry. The registry
will collect data on the incidence of Parkinson's disease and
Parkinsonisms within the State. Health care providers, including
hospitals and other health care facilities and health care practitioners,
such as physicians, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses,
that diagnose or treat people diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or
Parkinsonisms will be required to report each unique case of
Parkinson's disease or Parkinsonisms to the registry. The DOH will
determine the specific mandatory and permissive data points to be
collected in the registry.
Registry information will generally be deemed confidential, but
may be made available to various entities, including other Parkinson’s
disease registries, public health entities, and researchers, under certain
circumstances. Patients will have the opportunity to opt out of
inclusion in the registry, in which case only the incidence of a
Parkinson’s diagnosis will be reported.
The DOH will be required to prepare an annual report concerning
registry information and will be required to maintain a publicly-
accessible webpage providing information about the registry and links
to the DOH’s annual reports. 2
The DOH will additionally be required to establish a Parkinson’s
disease registry advisory council to assist in the development of the
registry, determine what data will be collected, and advise the DOH as
to the implementation of the bill.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:
The committee amendments make various technical changes to the
bill concerning formatting and capitalization and to correct cross-
citations.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.