S3405

An Act mandating access to periodic cancer screening examinations for volunteer firefighters, supplementing Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes, and amending R.S.54:18-8.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. (New section) a. A volunteer firefighter serving in this State shall be allowed to be reimbursed for a cancer screening examination conducted by a physician, which would not otherwise be covered by the volunteer firefighter’s health insurance, not less than five years after the start of service as volunteer firefighter and every three years thereafter during the course of the firefighter's volunteer service. 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 volunteer firefighter as occupational coverage. For the purpose of this subsection, serving as a volunteer firefighter shall be a pre-existing condition.

c. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, beginning January 1, 2023 and for each year thereafter, a volunteer firefighter shall be eligible for reimbursement from the State for the cost of any examination provided pursuant to this section; provided, however, at no time shall the cost being reimbursed to the volunteer firefighter for the full examination required under subsection a. of this section exceed $1,250 per three-year period, which shall be accordingly adjusted to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Medical Care.

No co-payment, deductible, coinsurance, or out-of-pocket expense shall be required for such examinations.

A volunteer firefighter shall provide adequate records, consistent with guidance developed by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, to facilitate the reimbursement authorized pursuant to this subsection.

For the purpose of this subsection, serving as a volunteer firefighter 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. The Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs shall annually submit a request for an appropriation in an amount necessary to provide the reimbursements required pursuant to this section.

d. There is established a nonlapsing, revolving fund in the Department of Community Affairs, which shall be the repository for monies appropriated pursuant to subsection c. of this section and revenue collected pursuant to R.S.54:18-8. The purpose of the fund is to provide reimbursement to a volunteer firefighter serving in this State for costs associated to implementing this section.

2. R.S.54:18-8 is amended to read as follows:

54:18-8. All monies received by the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association from the [2%] two and one tenth of a percent tax on fire insurance premiums paid by insurance companies not organized in this State, on behalf of municipalities or fire districts which do not have a duly incorporated local firemen's relief association affiliated with the State Association under R.S.43:17-2 et seq., shall be dedicated to the New Jersey Firemen's Home. Upon adoption of the budget, subject to the approval of the Governor, in accordance with R.S.30:7-1 et seq., these funds shall be allocated to the Board of Managers for the operation of the New Jersey Firemen's Home. One tenth of a percent of the total revenue collected under the tax imposed pursuant to this section shall be allocated to the fund established in subsection d. of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending the Legislature as this bill). A certified copy of the budget approved by the Governor shall be filed immediately with the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association.

The Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association shall return to the general fund of the State Association the balance of the monies not required for the annual operation of the New Jersey Firemen's Home.

If there are not sufficient funds in the account for the annual operating expenses of the New Jersey Firemen's Home in accordance with R.S.30:7-1 et seq., the Board of Managers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home shall certify the amount of the deficiency to the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association. The certification shall be filed before the fiscal year for the New Jersey Firemen's Home commences. The certification shall set forth the specific sum necessary to fund the operational expenses of the New Jersey Firemen's Home. The operational budget shall include all necessary costs for the maintenance and operation of the home, including purchase of equipment. Upon receipt of the certification, the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association shall pay the certified amount to the New Jersey Firemen's Home no later than May 1 of each year.

The procedure set forth below shall be followed if the Board of Managers proposes a capital project consisting of a building addition to the New Jersey Firemen's Home or the construction of a new facility:

a. At least 30 days before the capital project is submitted to the Governor, the Board of Managers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home shall submit to the officers and executive committee of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association, a description of the proposed project, and costs thereof, including future operational costs. Within 30 days of receipt of the notice the officers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home and New Jersey State Firemen's Association shall approve or disapprove the funding necessary therefor. After the project has been approved or disapproved, the executive committee shall meet in a special executive session to confirm the action of the officers.

b. If the officers or the executive committee disapproves the proposed capital project, the board of managers or the officers may appeal to the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance who shall issue a final decision within 30 days, but in any event not later than November 1 of any year. The budget then shall be submitted to the Governor for approval pursuant to law.

(cf: P.L.1997, c.41, s.7)

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for volunteer firefighters. The bill specifies that there should be no out-of-pocket cost to the volunteer firefighter. The bill also specifies that the State will reimburse a volunteer firefighter for the full examination up to $1,250 per three-year period, which is to be annually adjusted according to inflation. The bill establishes an occupational existing condition that makes being a volunteer firefighter a condition for reimbursement of costs associated with cancer screening examinations.

The bill increases the tax on fire insurance premiums by one tenth of a percent, which is to be annually allocated to the fund established under the bill for purposes of funding cancer screening examinations reimbursement for volunteer firefighters.