Pallone Slams RWJ Barnabas, Murphy Admin for Breaking Public Notice Rules to Rush Long Branch Hospital Closure

LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today slammed RWJ Barnabas Health and Governor Murphy’s Administration for trying to rush a public hearing on the plan to close Monmouth Medical Center Hospital in Long Branch without giving proper notice. Murphy’s Department of Health postponed the hearing without publishing a new date after failing to provide the legally required 14-day public notice. Pallone will lead a community information session at the hearing’s original time and place to help inform the community about the devastating consequences of the hospital’s closure. The Pallone-led information session will be held on Wednesday, October 29 at 4pm at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch. 

“RWJ Barnabas and the Murphy Administration got caught trying to sneak this through without following the law,” Pallone said. “They wanted to silence the community and avoid public scrutiny because they know this plan doesn’t pass the smell test. This is just more proof that their scheme to move Long Branch’s hospital is rotten to the core. Concerned citizens have a chance to do something about it starting at Wednesday’s information session.”

Under New Jersey law, state agencies must give the public at least 14 days’ notice before holding a hearing on major projects like this, including publishing notice in a statewide newspaper and online. The previously scheduled public hearing for Wednesday, October 29 at 4pm has been postponed and yet to be rescheduled.