New Jersey § 26:2S-39 Health benefit plans, coverage for abortion, certain religious employers exempt.

New Jersey Statutes

§ 26:2S-39 — Health benefit plans, coverage for abortion, certain religious employers exempt.

New Jersey § 26:2S-39

Title 26HEALTH AND VITAL STATISTICS

This text of New Jersey § 26:2S-39 (Health benefit plans, coverage for abortion, certain religious employers exempt.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:2S-39 (2026).

Text

3.

a.Upon concluding a study and issuing a report to the Governor and the Legislature demonstrating that such a regulation is necessary, the Department of Banking and Insurance may, through regulation adopted pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act", P.L.1968 c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), provide that health benefit plans delivered, issued, executed, or renewed in this State, provide coverage for abortion. If the department provides for coverage pursuant to this section, then the department shall also require carriers to grant, upon request of a religious employer, an exclusion under the contract for the coverage required if the required coverage conflicts with the religious employer's bona fide religious beliefs and practices. A religious employer that obtains such an exclusion shall

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

3. a. Upon concluding a study and issuing a report to the Governor and the Legislature demonstrating that such a regulation is necessary, the Department of Banking and Insurance may, through regulation adopted pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act", P.L.1968 c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), provide that health benefit plans delivered, issued, executed, or renewed in this State, provide coverage for abortion. If the department provides for coverage pursuant to this section, then the department shall also require carriers to grant, upon request of a religious employer, an exclusion under the contract for the coverage required if the required coverage conflicts with the religious employer's bona fide religious beliefs and practices. A religious employer that obtains such an exclusion shall provide written notice thereof to covered persons and prospective covered persons, and the carrier shall provide notice to the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance in such form and manner as may be determined by the commissioner. The provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed as authorizing a carrier to exclude coverage for care that is necessary to preserve the life or health of a subscriber. An exclusion from an insurance coverage mandate granted to a religious employer pursuant to this section shall not be considered a violation of section 2 of P.L.2021, c.375 (C.10:7-2). b. For the purposes of this section, "religious employer" means an organization that is organized and operates as a nonprofit entity and is referred to in section 6033(a)(3)(A)(i) or (iii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.6033), as amended. L.2021, c.375, s.3.