SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4042

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: OCTOBER 5, 2026

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 4042.

      This bill establishes the New Jersey First Responder and Veteran Lung Cancer Screening Awareness and Referral Program in the Department of Health to increase awareness of and access to lung cancer screening among first responders and veterans, who may face elevated risks of lung cancer due to occupational or service-related exposures.

      Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health is to administer the program in consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Attorney General.  The program is to coordinate education, outreach, and referral efforts to promote awareness of lung cancer risk factors, eligibility for low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening, the benefits of early detection, and available screening services.

      The bill requires the Department of Health (department) to develop and distribute evidence-based educational materials regarding lung cancer screening.  These materials are to be provided to:  fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and emergency medical services units throughout the State; veteran service organizations, including posts of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars; the Division of Pensions and Benefits for inclusion in retiree communications; and federally qualified health centers, hospital systems, primary care providers, and other health care entities serving high-risk populations.

      The bill also requires the department to maintain and publish on its Internet website a publicly accessible directory, organized by county, of health care facilities in the State that provide LDCT lung cancer screening.  In addition, the department is to establish voluntary referral protocols to allow licensed health care providers, first responder agencies, and veteran organizations to refer individuals who may be eligible for lung cancer screening, and to allow screening-eligible individuals to self-refer, consistent with clinical best practices.

      The bill further directs the department to coordinate with the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection Program to explore opportunities to integrate lung cancer screening navigation assistance for uninsured or underinsured eligible individuals, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of resources.  The program is not to mandate additional insurance benefits beyond those required under federal or State law, but is instead intended to focus on education, navigation, and increasing utilization of existing screening services.

      Finally, the bill requires the department to collect and analyze data related to program implementation and outcomes, including the number of first responders and veterans receiving LDCT screening through referral pathways associated with the program, demographic information to the extent permitted by law, stage at diagnosis for screen-detected lung cancers where available, and barriers to screening participation.  The bill provides that no personally identifiable health information is to be publicly disclosed.