This morning, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed A-6132/S-4235, also known as the “Hatzolah Bill.” The bill allows for volunteer paramedics to respond to calls and start treatment on a patient before the arrival of a second paramedic. Additionally, these paramedics are no longer required to wear uniforms. Until now, New Jersey state law had prohibited a paramedic from beginning to administer treatment before the arrival of a second paramedic, or if the paramedic was not wearing a uniform. Until now, Hatzolah in New Jersey operated under a waiver from the New Jersey Department of Health which exempted them from these requirements. This waiver was set to expire in the coming weeks, and its renewal was uncertain, jeopardizing Hatzolah’s ability to respond to emergency situations.
Over the past weeks, Deputy Assembly Speaker Gary Schaer, along with Assemblyman Greenwald, Assemblyman Conaway, Senator Gopal, and Senator Singer, sponsored legislation that would remedy this situation by permanently allowing volunteer paramedics to respond to calls and treat patients without the arrival of a second paramedic and without uniforms. The legislation passed both chambers of the New Jersey legislature unanimously and was signed into law today, by Governor Murphy.
“In just the last few weeks, we saw just how critical this legislation is,” said Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of Agudah’s New Jersey office. Rabbi Schnall thanked Deputy Speaker Schaer and Senator Singer for working swiftly to propose the legislation and shepherd it through the lawmaking process before the end of the legislative season, to ensure Hatzolah can continue to operate uninterruptedly. “We are extraordinarily grateful to Deputy Speaker Schaer and Senator Singer for taking the initiative on this bill, and for acting with the urgency it required to get it signed into law,” said Rabbi Schnall, adding, “It is not every day that we can call a bill ‘lifesaving.’ This bill is just that.”