Here are the most recent health care related regulatory developments as published in the New Jersey Register in November 2020:

• On November 2, 2020, at 52 N.J.R. 1990(a), Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Consumer Affairs, State Board of Psychological Examiners issued a rule proposal to amend N.J.A.C. 13:42-8.1 to require that a licensee retain records for a minor for seven years from the date of the last entry or until the client turns 25 years of age, whichever is longer.

• On November 2, 2020, at 52 N.J.R. 2008(c), Department of Labor published a notice of administrative change regarding the minimum wage rates as they progress to the $15 minimum wage over   For most employees, the rate as of January 1, 2021 is $11.00.  There are exceptions for certain employers, i.e., small employers/seasonal workers. N.J.A.C. 12:56-3.1, 3.2, and 3.3.

• On November 2, 2020, at 52 N.J.R. 2010(a), the Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Consumer Affairs, Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Committee adopted an amendment prohibiting hand-written continuing educations credit certificates. Adopted Amendment: N.J.A.C. 13:44C-6.3.

• On November 16, 2020, at 52 N.J.R. 2038(a), the Department of Health issued notice of emergency adoption of a rule waiver/modification/suspension pursuant to Executive Order No. 103 (2020) waiving the continuing education requirements for active health officer and registered environmental health specialist (REHS) licenses set out at N.J.A.C. 8:7-1.11, N.J.A.C. 8:7-1.12, N.J.A.C. 8:7-1.13, and N.J.A.C. 8:7-1.17. Under current rules, active licensed health officers or REHSs who wish to renew their licenses in their respective public health positions must annually obtain 15 contact hours of approved continuing education (CE) and submit verification of the CEs with their annual license renewal application. Due to the pressing demands caused by this public health emergency, it is both necessary and appropriate to temporarily relax these requirements for current active health officers and REHSs who are renewing their licenses as active for the 2021 licensing period by waiving the CE requirement. This waiver will not only provide active licensed health officers and REHSs a reprieve from this obligation so they may focus on the public response to COVID-19 in New Jersey but will also ensure that the State maintains a sufficient number of active licensed health officers and REHSs to carry out essential public health services and respond to the public health emergency.