GENETIC COUNSELING REGULATION ADVANCES IN SENATE COMMITTEE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale, Jim Whelan, Shirley K. Turner and Nia H. Gill which would create a system of licensure and accountability for genetic counselors in the State of New Jersey was unanimously approved by the Senate Commerce Committee today.

“Genetic counseling has become an invaluable medical tool for parents looking to assess the risks of transmitting genetic disorders to their kids, and individual looking for greater understanding of their own health,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “As we move forward with cutting-edge health care – like personalized medicine and custom-made health care plans – genetic counseling is becoming an even bigger part of the future of medicine. Unfortunately, individuals looking for medical guidance have no way of knowing who’s an appropriate genetic counselor and who’s simply using the title without the necessary training and education.”

RUIZ-VITALE BILL TO GIVE DISABLED NEW JERSEYANS MORE CONTROL ON ASSISTANCE SERVICES ADVANCES IN COMMITTEE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Teresa Ruiz and Joseph F. Vitale which would make changes in the “Personal Assistance Services Program” (PASP) to give disabled New Jerseyans more control over their own service plan was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today.

“New Jersey residents who live with disability and know the challenges they face every day are the most qualified to design a service plan that meets their needs,” said Senator Ruiz, D-Essex and Union. “However, right now, most disabled New Jersey residents enrolled in PASP are limited in who they can hire, because county agencies step in to determine the type, dollar amount and entities that will provide services. We need to have more faith in the service consumers to make the best choices for their own care, rather than have a government agency, no matter how well-intentioned, make choices for them.”

One of New Jersey's most eligible bachelors comes off the market on Saturday: State Sen. Joseph Vitale, 53, will marry Robin Williams, who was Miss New Jersey in 2002.  Vitale, a four-term Woodbridge Democrat, serves as Chairman of the powerful Senate Health Committee and served as interim Mayor of Woodbridge in 2007.

TRENTON – Senator Joseph Vitale, the sponsor of legislation allowing State psychiatric hospitals to ban smoking, today applauded the membership of the NJ Tobacco-Free Hospital Campus Collaborative for its collective commitment to banning smoking anywhere on the campuses of their health facilities.  The group held a news conference this morning in the State House Annex, to update the public on its progress.

            “Nicotine is one of the most addictive and most harmful toxins,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, who chairs the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.  “By their very nature, medical facilities are designed to protect the health of patients and the surrounding communities, and it is an unhealthy conflict to allow patients, visitors and employees to engage in such an unhealthy activity on hospital grounds. Our medical facilities and personnel must set a positive example.”

Joe Vas’ eighteen-year tenure as mayor of Perth Amboy came to an end today, and he’s not ready to say if he’ll seek re-election to a fourth term in the State Assembly next year.

“That’s a lifetime away. A lot of opportunities are in front of me and I’m not rushing to make any decisions today, nor do I have to,” Vas said.

Still, despite reeling from a lopsided upset in Perth Amboy, Vas may have strengthened his hold on his Assembly seat – should he choose to run again -- by becoming the Democratic municipal chairman for Perth Amboy.

VITALE ‘HEALTH CARE STABILIZATION FUND ACT’ SIGNED INTO LAW

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which will establish the Health Care Stabilization Fund to ensure seamless access to health care in communities served by a hospital facing closure was signed into law by Governor Corzine today.

“New Jersey’s hospital system is in crisis, and unless we take serious steps to stop the hemorrhaging, people who rely on hospitals as their primary health care providers will be put in jeopardy,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, and Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “This new law addresses the epidemic of closures happening all over the Garden State, and seeks to act as a safety valve for the facilities which are essential to the public safety of our communities. Through this measure, we are offering some relief to hard-hit hospitals, and assuring New Jersey residents that the hospital system will be there in their time of need.”

VITALE ‘HEALTH CARE STABILIZATION FUND ACT’ APPROVED IN SENATE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would establish the Health Care Stabilization Fund to provide grants to general hospitals and other health care facilities to ensure access to health care services in a community served by a hospital facing closure was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 23-16, receiving final legislative approval.

“New Jersey’s hospital system is in crisis, and with every announcement of closure, hundreds if not thousands of uninsured State residents in the surrounding area are left to scramble as they lose their primary point of health care,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, and Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “New Jersey’s hospitals, through the charity care program, are on the frontlines in terms of providing access to quality care for those without health insurance. We need a mechanism in place to ensure the continuation of access when hospitals are on the verge of financial collapse.”

VITALE BILL TO PREVENT AGAINST COUNTERFEIT TOBACCO TAX STAMPS APPROVED IN SENATE

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would direct the Division of Treasury to look at a more secure cigarette tax stamp to prevent counterfeiting was approved today by the Senate by a vote of 38-0, receiving final legislative approval.

“As we’ve seen in this year’s budget deliberations, every penny of existing tax revenue is important to meeting the obligations of the State of New Jersey,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, and the Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “However, every year, we lose millions of dollars in uncollected taxes due to counterfeit tobacco tax stamps. We need to do a better job in securing cigarette tax stamps, and ensuring that it’s harder for forgeries to get into the retail stream.”

VITALE BILL TO BAN SALE OF FLAVORED CIGARETTES RECEIVES FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would prohibit the sale of certain flavored cigarettes in the State of New Jersey was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 34-4, receiving final legislative approval.

“Flavored cigarettes are a marketing gimmick from the same companies that brought you Joe Camel and other cartoon mascots for tobacco products,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “They blatantly appeal to children and young adults, and are intended to encourage younger generations to pick up the smoking habit. Given the State’s interest in helping people kick the habit, flavored cigarettes isn’t something we should give silent approval to in New Jersey.”

VITALE BILL TO SET GROUNDWORK FOR AFFORDABLE CARE FOR ALL APPROVED IN SENATE

TRENTON – Senator Joseph F. Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and author of a plan to make health care affordable for all New Jersey residents, issued the following statement today after the Senate unanimously approved the first phase of his plan:

“Tonight in New Jersey, a quarter million kids will go to sleep without the protection offered by even basic health insurance. These are kids who have to wait until they’re very seriously ill or hurt before they can go to the hospital to have access to care. As a moral society, we cannot turn our backs on the plight of these kids, who are falling through the gaps in New Jersey’s health care safety net.