Bill
A 5043
Funds and authority to educate on cardiomyopathy, assess risk, promote research, and optionally grant schools funding for AED/CPR programs and equipment.
Note on title mismatch
- The title you provided (about absentee ballot delivery) does not match the bill text in the documents. The documents for Assembly Bill A5043 (1R) address cardiomyopathy awareness, education, research, and school AED/CPR support. The summary below describes the cardiomyopathy bill reflected in the provided documents.
Summary: A5043 (1R) — Cardiomyopathy awareness, risk assessment, research, and school AED/CPR grants
Purpose
- Require the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with the Department of Education, to develop and disseminate educational materials and a cardiomyopathy risk assessment; to pursue federal research grants; to report on cardiomyopathy research and epidemiology; and to authorize (permissive) grant awards to schools to support AED (automated external defibrillator) and CPR programs.
Key provisions
- Educational materials: DOH must develop public education materials on signs, symptoms, and risk factors for high‑risk cardiac conditions and genetic heart rhythm abnormalities (including cardiomyopathy, long QT, Brugada, CPVT, short QT, WPW, and others). Materials must also include guidance on AED placement, CPR/AED training, and how to develop a cardiac emergency response plan for schools and early‑childhood programs.
- Timelines for development/dissemination: Committee amendments require materials be developed within 18 months and disseminated (including posting on the DOH website) within 20 months of enactment.
- Cardiomyopathy risk assessment: DOH must develop and publicly post a cardiomyopathy risk assessment within 20 months. The assessment must include background/prevalence, worksheets to assess risk and disease progression, and screening guidance for at‑risk individuals.
- Research and federal grants: DOH must apply for available federal grants to expand/coordinate cardiomyopathy research (causation, biomarkers, long‑term outcomes, effective treatments). DOH must report on research activities and a research agenda focused on adult and pediatric cardiomyopathy.
- Reporting: Committee amendments consolidated reporting requirements and changed timing — initial reporting due within 18 months and thereafter every five years (replacing the bill’s earlier annual reporting schedule).
- School grants (permissive): The Commissioner of Health may award grants to eligible public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools (local education agencies, in consultation with a qualified health care entity) to:
1. develop AED/CPR program materials;
2. support CPR and AED training for students, staff, volunteers;
3. develop cardiac emergency response plans;
4. purchase AEDs, batteries, and maintenance; and
5. replace outdated AED/CPR equipment and training materials.
- Schools that have already received federal funds for these purposes must use those federal funds before seeking state grants.
- “Qualified health care entity” is defined (public health care facility or 501(c) nonprofit).
Fiscal impact
- Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimate: up to $100,000 one‑time state cost to develop/disseminate materials and the risk assessment (approx. 0.5 FTE equivalent). If DOH implements the authorized grant program, state expenditures and local school revenue increases would be indeterminate. DOH may also realize indeterminate federal grant revenue if successful in applying.
Procedural status and other notes
- Assembly Health Committee reported the bill with amendments (12/16/2024); Appropriations Committee reported favorably (2/20/2025).
- Assembly passage: 75–0–0 (2/27/2025).
- Received in the Senate and referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (3/3/2025).
- Committee amendments made the grant program permissive, consolidated and delayed reporting (initial report to 18 months; subsequent every five years), and removed the earlier appropriation included in the introduced version.
- Companion bill: S3983. Prior-session related bills: A10537, A4188, A1111.
If you intended a summary for the absentee‑ballot title you gave, please re‑submit that bill text or bill number and I will prepare a separate summary.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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