Senator Nia H. Gill: We Must Have A Public Investigation Into Nursing Homes

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 9,000 residents and staff in New Jersey’s
long-term care facilities have died from COVID. These deaths account for more than 25%
of all COVID deaths. More people died in these facilities than died on the battlefield at
Gettysburg.

This is why I introduced SR-48.

Because a legislative oversight committee with subpoena power is how we provide the
public with a transparent and accountable investigation as a part of our constitutional duty
of oversight, information from this investigation will inform our public policy decisions to
ensure that this never happens again.

Neither civil nor criminal investigations at the state or federal level bar the creation of this
oversight committee. Our legislature has conducted concurrent investigations in the past.
For example, Bridgegate, the Legislative Oversight Committee concerning Albert Alvarez,
Katie Brennan, and others, and racial profiling.

To have a public, transparent, and accountable investigation, we must have this
committee with full subpoena power.

This is because state and federal investigations limit the disclosure of documents and
witness testimony. In court proceedings, records, documents, and testimony may be
sealed, and proceedings are not always accessible to the public.

With variants of COVID-19 posing a continuing threat, as Dr. King said, we are now faced
with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. I
ask my fellow Senators that we act with the urgency this moment demands.

Please contact your Senator and tell them on May 26th to support the motion to relieve
SR-48 from committee.