Health Committee releases amended bill to study disordered eating, remove office and appropriation

The Assembly Health Committee considered A.4434, a bill originally proposing an Office of Disordered Eating Prevention and a grant program. Committee amendments removed the office and the appropriation, redirected the Department of Health and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to conduct a study and submit a report, and established a three‑year pilot program with revised reporting and expiration provisions.

April Milevski, representing the New Jersey Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Miss New Jersey Organization (as testified), supported the bill’s aims to improve prevention, education and collaboration with schools and mental‑health programs, and urged members to back the amended measure. Committee members asked about the need for a standalone office and whether available departmental resources and appropriations would be sufficient; the chair said the department should be able to deploy existing resources for the study although future appropriations might be requested.

Roll call recorded mixed votes, including recorded 'No' and abstentions among members; the committee released the bill as amended for further consideration. The hearing transcript shows discussion focused on resource priorities and whether an appropriation should accompany the pilot and study.