7. a. The Department of Health shall analyze and compile reports from each local overdose fatality review team and submit one Statewide annual overdose fatality report containing information from each local team. The report shall be submitted to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C. 52:14-19.1), to the Legislature. The report shall be considered a government record pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C. 47:1A-1 et seq.). Each publication of the Statewide annual report shall be in a format that does not identify any individual or decedent and does not contain personally identifiable or personal identifying information.

b. The Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner may direct all local teams to assist with the coordination of all the relevant information necessary to review a specific decedent case.

c. The Department of Health may share data containing de-identified data at any time. The department may only share data containing personally identifiable information if the data is being shared for public health purposes, the sharing of the data is permitted by this act and other applicable laws, and the data is in a form and format that is secured to prevent the disclosure of personally identifiable information. Any publication made available to the public shall be in a format that does not identify any individual or decedent and does not contain personally identifiable information.

L.2021, c.430, s.7.