The NJVMA continues to advocate on behalf of the veterinary profession in NJ by supporting legislation that advances the profession and opposing legislation that would hinder the practice of medicine. The number of bills that impact the profession and animals is substantial. The NJVMA legislative committee and our legislative agent, Dale Florio, monitored over 40 bills in the current legislative session, which ended January 12th.
The following are some of the key issues in the legislature that NJVMA tracked in this session:
Animal advocate – S2868 would provide for an advocate to be appointed in criminal cases concerning welfare or care of animals. The NJVMA is part of a broad coalition opposing the bill, due to concerns with language in the bill that could change the legal status of animals to provide them with personhood..
Facility inspection – The NJVMA successfully opposed A317 that would have required an annual inspection of veterinary facilities.
Pet Insurance Act – This bill, which was signed into law, establishes the “Pet Insurance Act,” which creates a legal framework within which pet insurance may be sold in the State. Under the law, several consumer protections related to policy renewals, waiting periods, policy limits, conditions, and benefit schedules are included, including disclosures a pet insurer transacting pet insurance must disclose to consumers, such as: (1) if the policy excludes coverage due to: (a) a preexisting condition; (b) a hereditary disorder; (c) a congenital anomaly or disorder; or (d) a chronic condition The law provides limits on how insurers can deny pet insurance claims related to preexisting conditions of covered pets, and requires the insurer to prove a preexisting condition limitation applies. Lastly, the law provides requirements to insurers and insurance producers to clearly differentiate pet wellness programs from insurance policies to eliminate consumer confusion about what services are covered by insurance.