Bill Text: NJ S3967 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides cancer and cardiovascular screenings to law enforcement officers; establishes fund; appropriates $20 million.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-16 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S3967 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S3967-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Senator JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Provides cancer and cardiovascular screenings to law enforcement officers; establishes fund; appropriates $20 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act providing cancer and cardiovascular screenings for law enforcement officers, amending R.S.39:5-41, supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.39:5-41 is amended to read as follows:
39:5-41. a. All fines, penalties and forfeitures imposed and collected under authority of law for any violations of R.S.39:4-63 and R.S.39:4-64 shall be forwarded by the judge to whom the same have been paid to the proper financial officer of a county, if the violation occurred within the jurisdiction of that county's central municipal court, established pursuant to N.J.S.2B:12-1 et seq. or the municipality wherein the violation occurred, to be used by the county or municipality to help finance litter control activities in addition to or supplementing existing litter pickup and removal activities in the municipality.
b. Except as otherwise provided by subsection a. of this section, all fines, penalties and forfeitures imposed and collected under authority of law for any violations of the provisions of this Title, other than those violations in which the complaining witness is the chief administrator, a member of his staff, a member of the State Police, a member of a county police department and force, a county park police system, or a sheriff's office in a county that has established a central municipal court, an inspector of the Board of Public Utilities, or a law enforcement officer of any other State agency, shall be forwarded by the judge to whom the same have been paid as follows: one-half of the total amount collected to the financial officer, as designated by the local governing body, of the respective municipalities wherein the violations occurred, to be used by the municipality for general municipal use and to defray the cost of operating the municipal court; and one-half of the total amount collected to the proper financial officer of the county wherein they were collected, to be used by the county as a fund for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads and bridges, snow removal, the acquisition and purchase of rights-of-way, and the purchase, replacement and repair of equipment for use on said roads and bridges therein. Up to 25% of the money received by a municipality pursuant to this subsection, but not more than the actual amount budgeted for the municipal court, whichever is less, may be used to upgrade case processing.
All fines, penalties and forfeitures imposed and collected under authority of law for any violations of the provisions of this Title, in which the complaining witness is a member of a county police department and force, a county park police system, or a county sheriff's office in a county that has established a central municipal court, shall be forwarded by the judge to whom the same have been paid to the financial officer, designated by the governing body of the county, for all violations occurring within the jurisdiction of that court, to be used for general county use and to defray the cost of operating the central municipal court.
Whenever any county has deposited moneys collected pursuant to this section in a special trust fund in lieu of expending the same for the purposes authorized by this section, it may withdraw from said special trust fund in any year an amount which is not in excess of the amount expended by the county over the immediately preceding three-year period from general county revenues for said purposes. Such moneys withdrawn from the trust fund shall be accounted for and used as are other general county revenues.
c. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1993, c.293.)
d. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section, $1 shall be added to the amount of each fine and penalty imposed and collected through a court under authority of any law for any violation of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any other motor vehicle or traffic violation in this State and shall be forwarded by the person to whom the same are paid to the State Treasurer. In addition, upon the forfeiture of bail, $1 of that forfeiture shall be forwarded to the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall annually deposit those moneys so forwarded in the "Body Armor Replacement" fund established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1997, c.177 (C.52:17B-4.4). Beginning in the fiscal year next following the effective date of this act, the State Treasurer annually shall allocate from those moneys so forwarded an amount not to exceed $400,000 to the Department of the Treasury to be expended exclusively for the purposes of funding the operation of the "Law Enforcement Officer Crisis Intervention Services" telephone hotline established and maintained under the provisions of sections 115 and 116 of P.L.2008, c.29 (C.26:2NN-1 and C.26:2NN-2).
e. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section, $1 shall be added to the amount of each fine and penalty imposed and collected through a court under authority of any law for any violation of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any other motor vehicle or traffic violation in this State and shall be forwarded by the person to whom the same are paid to the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall annually deposit those moneys so forwarded in the "New Jersey Spinal Cord Research Fund" established pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1999, c.201 (C.52:9E-9). In order to comply with the provisions of Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 5 of the State Constitution, a municipal or county agency which forwards moneys to the State Treasurer pursuant to this subsection may retain an amount equal to 2% of the moneys which it collects pursuant to this subsection as compensation for its administrative costs associated with implementing the provisions of this subsection.
f. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section, $1 shall be added to the amount of each fine and penalty imposed and collected through a court under authority of any law for any violation of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any other motor vehicle or traffic violation in this State and shall be forwarded by the person to whom the same are paid to the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall annually deposit those moneys so forwarded in the "Autism Medical Research and Treatment Fund" established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2003, c.144 (C.30:6D-62.2).
g. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section, $3 shall be added to the amount of each fine and penalty imposed and collected by a court under authority of any law for any violation of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any other motor vehicle or traffic violation in this State and shall be forwarded by the person to whom the same are paid to the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall annually deposit those moneys so forwarded in the "New Jersey Forensic DNA Laboratory Fund" established pursuant to P.L.2003, c.183. Prior to depositing the moneys into the fund, the State Treasurer shall forward to the Administrative Office of the Courts an amount not to exceed $475,000 from moneys initially collected pursuant to this subsection to be used exclusively to establish a collection mechanism and to provide funding to update the Automated Traffic System Fund created pursuant to N.J.S.2B:12-30 to implement the provisions of this subsection.
h. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section, $1 shall be added to the amount of each fine and penalty imposed and collected under authority of any law for any violation of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any other motor vehicle or traffic violation in this State and shall be forwarded by the person to whom the same are paid to the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall annually deposit those moneys so forwarded in the "New Jersey Brain Injury Research Fund" established pursuant to section 9 of P.L.2003, c.200 (C.52:9EE-9). The Administrative Office of the Courts may retain an amount equal to $475,000 from the moneys which it initially collects pursuant to this subsection, prior to depositing any moneys in the "New Jersey Brain Injury Research Fund," in order to meet the expenses associated with utilizing the Automated Traffic System Fund created pursuant to N.J.S.2B:12-30 to implement the provisions of this subsection and serve other statutory purposes.
i. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section, all fines and penalties imposed and collected under authority of law for any violation related to the unlawful operation or the sale of a vehicle under section 1 of P.L.1955, c.53 (C.39:3-17.1) shall be forwarded by the judge to whom the same have been paid to the State Treasurer, if the complaining witness is the chief administrator, a member of his staff, a member of the State Police, an inspector of the Board of Public Utilities, or a law enforcement officer or other official of any other State agency; or, if the complaining witness is not one of the foregoing, one-half to the chief financial officer of the county and one-half to the chief financial officer of the municipality wherein the violation occurred.
j. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section, $10 shall be added to the amount of each fine and penalty imposed and collected through a court under authority of any law for any violation of the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or any other motor vehicle or traffic violation in this State and shall be forwarded by the person to whom the same are paid to the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer shall annually deposit those moneys so forwarded in the "SHBP Law Enforcement Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Screenings Fund" established pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ).
(cf: P.L.2018, c.47, s.4)
2. (New Section) a. A law enforcement officer employed as a full-time paid employee of a law enforcement agency or law enforcement unit of this State or a political subdivision of this State, shall be provided a cancer and cardiovascular disease screening examination conducted by a physician not less than three years after the start of the law enforcement officer's employment as a law enforcement officer and every three years thereafter during the course of the law enforcement officer's employment. The examination shall include screening for, at a minimum and when applicable, the following cancers:
(1) colon;
(2) lung;
(3) bladder;
(4) oral;
(5) thyroid;
(6) skin;
(7) blood;
(8) breast;
(9) cervical
(10) testicular; and
(11) prostate.
b. Subsection a. of this section shall apply to a law enforcement officer enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program as occupational coverage. For the purpose of this subsection, employment as a full-time paid employee of a law enforcement agency or unit of this State or a political subdivision of this State shall be a pre-existing condition.
c. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, beginning January 1, 2026 and for each plan year thereafter, a public employer that does not participate in the State Health Benefits Program shall provide health care benefits coverage for its employees that offers screening examinations consistent with the requirement of subsection a. of this section. A public employer that does not participate in the State Health Benefits Program shall be eligible for payment from the State for the cost of providing benefits coverage for such examinations upon proof satisfactory to the Department of the Treasury that the examination has been performed by a physician; provided, however, at no time shall the cost being remitted to the public employer by the State for the full examination required under subsection a. of this section exceed $2,500 per three-year period for each law enforcement officer.
(2) Beginning January 1, 2026 and for each plan year thereafter, a public employer that participates in the State Health Benefits Program shall also provide coverage for cardiovascular disease screening examinations consistent with the requirements of subsection a. of this section for an employee who is eligible for other health care coverage and waives coverage under the State Health Benefits Program to which the employee is entitled by virtue of employment with the employer. Such public employer shall be eligible for payment from the State for the cost of providing such examinations upon proof satisfactory to the Department of the Treasury that the examination has been performed by a physician; provided, however, at no time shall the cost being remitted to the public employer by the State for the full examination required under subsection a. of this section exceed $2,500 per three-year period for each law enforcement officer.
(3) No co-payment, deductible, coinsurance, or out-of-pocket expense shall be required for such examinations as provided for by this subsection.
A public employer shall maintain adequate records to facilitate the reimbursement authorized pursuant to this subsection.
For the purpose of this subsection, employment as a full-time paid employee of a law enforcement agency or unit of this State or a political subdivision of this State shall be a pre-existing condition. There shall be an appropriation from the State General Fund in each annual appropriations act of such funds as necessary for the purposes of this section.
d. As used in this section, "law enforcement agency" means a department, division, bureau, commission, board, or other authority of the State or of any political subdivision thereof which has by statute or ordinance the responsibility of detecting and enforcing the general criminal laws of this State;
"law enforcement officer" shall have the same meaning as provided in subsection l. of N.J.S.2C:39-6 and shall also mean any other law enforcement officer as recognized by the Attorney General; and
"law enforcement unit" shall have the same meaning as provided in P.L.1961, c.56 (C.52:17B-66 et seq.).
3. (New section) a. There is established in the General Fund a dedicated, non-lapsing fund to be known as the "SHBP Law Enforcement Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Screenings Fund."
b. The fund shall be the depository of a $10 motor vehicle summons surcharge collected pursuant to subsection j. of R.S.39:5-41.
c. Monies in the fund shall be used to offset the cost of the cancer and cardiovascular disease screenings provided to law enforcement officers pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. There is appropriated from the State General Fund to the Department of the Treasury the sum of $20 million for the purposes of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill). The monies appropriated shall be deposited into the "SHBP Law Enforcement Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Screenings Fund."
5. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2026.
STATEMENT
This bill provides cancer and cardiovascular disease screenings to law enforcement officers. The screenings will be conducted by a physician not less than three years after the start of the law enforcement officer's employment as a law enforcement officer and every three years thereafter during the course of the law enforcement officer's employment. The screenings will be for colon, lung, bladder, oral, thyroid, skin, blood, breast, cervical, testicular, and prostate cancers.
The bill also provides reimbursement to public employers of up to $2,500 for law enforcement officers who are enrolled in a healthcare plan other than SHBP through their public employer.
The bill establishes a dedicated, non-lapsing fund called the "SHBP Law Enforcement Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Screenings Fund" to offset the costs of the cancer and cardiovascular screenings for law enforcement officers provided for in the bill.
The bill establishes a $10 motor vehicle summons surcharge to be applied to each motor vehicle fine and penalty imposed and collected through a court under authority of any motor vehicle or traffic violation in the State. The $10 surcharge will be deposited in the law enforcement fund. The bill also appropriates $20 million to be deposited into the law enforcement fund.
