Bill Text: NJ A4677 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Increases amount of cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues provided to New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research to $10 million; establishes dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-06-28 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [A4677 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4677-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Increases amount of cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues provided to New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research to $10 million; establishes dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the New Jersey State Commission on Cancer Research, amending P.L.1982, c.40, supplementing P.L.1983, c.6, and repealing section 8 of P.L.1983, c.6.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 5 of P.L.1982, c.40 (C.54:40A-37.1) is amended as follows:
5. The sum of [$1,000,000.00] $10,000,000 of the tax collected pursuant to section 301 of P.L.1948, c.65 (C.54:40A-8), shall be annually deposited by the State Treasurer in [a special account to be known as] the Cancer Research Fund, [except that for Fiscal Year 1983 only $500,000.00 shall be deposited in that account] a nonlapsing, revolving fund established pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). Moneys in the Cancer Research Fund shall be [annually appropriated toward the funding of] utilized by the New Jersey State Commission on Cancer Research, established pursuant to P.L.1983, c.6 (C.52:9U-1 et seq.), [or to] for cancer research projects authorized and approved by the commission with at least $5,000,000 in moneys from the fund being used to fund general cancer research and at least $5,000,000 in moneys from the fund being used to fund pediatric cancer research.
(cf: P.L.1990, c.39, s.18)
2. Section 8 of P.L.1983, c.6 (C.52:9U-8) is repealed.
3. (New Section) a. There is established in the Department of the Treasury a nonlapsing, revolving fund to be known as the Cancer Research Fund. This fund shall be the repository for monies provided pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1982, c.40 (C.54:40A-37.1) and any other funds approved by the Department of Health or the commission. Moneys deposited in the fund, and any interest earned thereon, shall be used exclusively for providing grants, as well as contracts, for general cancer research projects and pediatric cancer research projects, authorized and approved by the commission.
b. The State Treasurer shall be the custodian of the fund and all disbursements from the fund shall be made by the State Treasurer upon vouchers signed by the chairperson of the commission or the chairperson's designee. The monies in the fund shall be invested and reinvested by the Director of the Division of Investment in the Department of the Treasury in the same manner as other trust funds in the custody of the State Treasurer, in the manner provided by law. Interest received on the monies in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill increases the amount of cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues provided to the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR) to $10 million. The bill also establishes a dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund within the Department of the Treasury. In doing so, the bill prioritizes funding: 1) to expand the NJCCR's capacity to fund research regarding the causes, prevention, treatment, and palliation of all cancers and to serve as a resource of information to providers and consumers of cancer care and treatment services; and 2) for cancer research grants that reduce and eliminate disparities among the various racial and ethnic populations within the State's minority and vulnerable communities by increasing access to clinical trials and high-quality cancer care and treatment.
Pursuant to current statute, the NJCCR annually receives $1 million in cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues. This money is deposited into an existing lapsing Cancer Research Fund and then appropriated to the commission. In recent years, pursuant to the annual appropriations act, this money has been transferred from the Cancer Research Fund to the General Fund. The appropriations act then provides the NJCCR funding via a budget line. Despite the statutory requirement, in FY 2024, the NJCCR was appropriated $4 million in funding.
Under the bill, the existing lapsing Cancer Research Fund is replaced by a non-lapsing, revolving fund. This fund is to be the repository of the $10 million in cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues deposited into the account under the bill and any other funds approved by the Department of Health or the NJCCR. Moneys deposited in the fund, and any interest earned thereon, are to be used exclusively for providing grants for cancer research projects authorized and approved by the commission, with at least $5 million to be used to fund general cancer research and at least $5 million to be used to fund pediatric cancer research.
The State Treasurer will be the custodian of the fund and all disbursements from the fund are to be made by the State Treasurer upon vouchers signed by the chairperson of the NJCCR or the chairperson's designee. The monies in the fund are to be invested and reinvested by the Director of the Division of Investment in the Department of the Treasury in the same manner as other trust funds in the custody of the State Treasurer, in the manner provided by law. Interest received on the monies in the fund are to be credited to the fund.
