Statement from Betsy Ryan President and CEO New Jersey Hospital Association on Proposed Legislation

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"We're still reviewing the bill introduced today by Senate President Sweeney, but we've enjoyed a good constructive dialogue with the Senate President and other lawmakers on this issue and look forward to ongoing discussion.

"NJHA has developed a member task force to explore this issue, and our goal is to provide certainty to New Jersey's not-for-profit hospitals, while providing an avenue for hospitals to pay some reasonable amount – along with their community benefit contributions – to offset the costs of local services provided by the municipality. We also support the following key factors as part of any statewide solution: Any solution must recognize that New Jersey's not-for-profit hospitals are exempt from local property taxes. Hospitals should be protected from any additional legal challenges on their tax status. And financially challenged hospitals should be spared from making municipal contributions that would further threaten their viability."