PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

For Release:
July 16, 2018

Shereef Elnahal
Commissioner

For Further Information Contact:
Office of Communications
(609) 984-7160

New Jersey Department of Health Proposes to Readopt with Amendments Rules Governing the Hepatitis Inoculation Fund: N.J.A.C. 8:57B

The Department of Health is proposing to Readopt with Amendments N.J.A.C. 8:57B entitled, “Hepatitis Inoculation Fund.” These rules govern the administration of a fund that is used to reimburse municipalities for the cost of vaccinating first responders such as police, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) against Hepatitis B.   

The Hepatitis Inoculation Fund was created by statute in 1993 (N.J.S.A. 26:4-100.13) The statute directed the Department to “promulgate rules and regulations in order to effectuate the purposes of this fund.” Since 1995, the Department has distributed approximately $2.8 million to more than 400 municipalities from the fund. The existing rules mandate that the Department distribute funds according to a lottery system, however the fund historically has always contained more than enough monies to reimburse applicant municipalities.   

The Department is amending its rules to provide flexibility in determining whether a lottery is necessary.  In addition, the amendments update the name of the Department, clarify definitions used in the rules, improve grammar and the overall readability of the rules.

A notice of proposal appears in the July 16, 2018 issue of the New Jersey Register.  The Department will accept written comments on the proposal during a period of public comment, which begins on July 16, 2018 and ends on September 14, 2018.

Individuals wishing to comment on the proposal must submit written comments on or before September 14, 2018 either (1) electronically at http://www.nj.gov/health/legal/ecomments.shtml or (2) by regular mail postmarked on or before September 14, 2018 to Joy L. Lindo, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Compliance, New Jersey Department of Health, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360.

Address correspondence sent by Courier or Hand Delivery Service to:  Joy L. Lindo, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Compliance, New Jersey Department of Health, 369 South Warren Street, Trenton, NJ  08608.  All hard copy correspondence must be marked as having been received by the carrier of record on or before September 14, 2018.  The Department does not accept facsimiles as official comments on the notice of proposal.

LexisNexis provides free online access to the New Jersey Register here.  Click here for more information on the rulemaking process in New Jersey.

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Last Reviewed: 7/16/2018