Introduction
The state legislature has an important impact on healthcare and general public health since it can help to address issues leading to health problems. Hence, it is crucial for nurses to understand the legislative process in their state in order to influence policymaking and support legislative decisions that will have a beneficial effect on public health. The present paper will discuss the legislative process in New Jersey and provide information on the recent A1264 bill.
Main Part
The legislative branch of New Jersey consists of the Senate, which has 40 members, and the General Assembly, which is the lower House with 80 members. Bills can be introduced by both senators and members of the General Assembly. Once a bill is introduced in one of the two chambers, it is then sent to the appropriate committee, where it is reviewed and amended as needed. After the committee approves the bill, it is re-introduced in the Senate or the General Assembly for the second time. Then, the voting takes place in the House where the bill was first introduced. If the bill receives the majority of votes, it follows the same process in the other House before being sent to the Governor. A bill becomes the law upon the Governor’s signing, although a vetoed bill can still pass if it reaches the 2/3 majority votes in both Houses.
On the whole, the legislative process described above is effective because it prevents the enactment of bills that could harm the state’s citizens. The reviewal process in both Houses is also beneficial since it ensures that the bill is not biased or unfair and can be applied successfully. The main difference between the state and assembly versions of the bill is that the state version is usually broader in its scope and more detailed since it has been reviewed and amended multiple times. Through the reviewing process, the bill usually becomes more practical and effective in achieving its purpose.
The bill selected for the review is the New Jersey Assembly Bill 1264, which was introduced on the 1st of September 2018. The bill has been referred to Assembly Women and Children Committee and is currently pending approval (“Bill text: NJ A1264,” 2019). The title of the bill is “Establishes a public awareness campaign concerning the dangers of leaving children unattended in and around motor vehicles” (“Bill text: NJ A1264,” 2019). Hence, the bill aims to address the problem of child health and safety.
The bill was chosen because of its potentially beneficial effect on child health. Being left unattended in and around motor vehicles poses a significant risk to children since they can suffer an injury or even die. The bill targets two different health hazards for children in relation to cars. On the one hand, it focuses on preventing adults from leaving children unattended near cars, thus contributing to children’s safety near roads. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017), 129,000 pedestrians were injured, and almost 6,000 died as a result of traffic crashes in 2015-2016. Children are particularly at risk since they are usually unaware of safety rules and can get distracted while playing, thus failing to notice an upcoming car.
The CDC (2017) estimates that “one in every five children under the age of 15 who were killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians” (para. 4). This means that preventing parents from leaving children unattended around motor vehicles could decrease the rate of traffic-related child deaths by as much as 20%. On the other hand, the bill also addresses the problem of leaving children unattended in a car. In these circumstances, the child might suffer a heatstroke, which often leads to brain damage and even death. The text of the bill refers to national statistics, stating that 38 children die each year in the U.S. after being left unattended in a car. Since the parents’ intent is rarely malicious, raising public awareness could help to prevent these deaths. Therefore, the potential impact of the bill on child health and safety is prominent.
Despite these benefits, the bill also has some limitations that should be taken into account. First of all, it focuses on improving public awareness, which might not have a prominent effect on the problems identified in the previous paragraph. Secondly, the content of public awareness materials stipulated by the bill is limited to the potential risks of leaving children unattended and recommendations for improving child safety. A more effective approach would be to include the potential legal consequences of leaving children unattended in and around cars, too. This would enhance parents’ and caregivers’ motivation to comply with recommendations.
My personal opinion on this legislation is positive because I believe that it could play a role in addressing the issues of child safety in and around cars. It is true that many parents overlook safety concerns thinking that nothing could happen to their child. Creating powerful ads and providing supplementary materials, such as brochures, could make parents and caregivers more aware of the danger. In addition, I believe that the bill would help to engage other people in addressing child safety risks. For instance, if a person sees an unattended child playing next to a road, their actions depend largely on their perception of the risks. If a person knows that there are serious risks to the child’s health, they will be more likely to approach the child’s parents, thus addressing a potentially dangerous situation.
I also believe that other healthcare stakeholders would share my view of this bill. The bill could have a positive effect on public health by reducing the risk of traffic-related injuries and deaths among children. This, in turn, benefits nurses and the nursing profession by reducing the workload. Additionally, a public awareness campaign would provide New Jersey nurses with an opportunity to educate parents using visual materials, such as flyers or brochures developed as part of the proposed campaign. The effectiveness of education would increase as a result of this, leading to improved child safety. Due to these benefits, it is likely that the position of various healthcare and nursing organizations on this bill would be positive. However, since no entities provided their official position yet, it would be beneficial to contact the New Jersey Nurses Association, School Nurses Association, and the Society of Pediatric Nurses to request their position.
Conclusion
All in all, the proposed A1264 bill could contribute to public health by raising public awareness about child safety threats in and around cars, thus possibly reducing the rates of transportation-related injuries and deaths among children. Although the bill has some limitations, they could be eliminated during the legislative process through review and amendment. I live in the 35th legislative district of New Jersey, which is represented by the state Senator Nellie Pou, Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, and Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly. The Congressman representing the 9th congressional district of New Jersey is Bill Pascrell.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017).Pedestrian safety. Web.
Bill Text: NJ A1264 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced. (2019). Web.