Bill > H2519

This bill establishes the Environmental Public Health Trust Fund (EPHTF) within the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, designed to support comprehensive cancer surveillance and environmental data collection efforts. The fund will be administered by the Commissioner of Public Health and can receive funding from legislative appropriations, private and public gifts or grants, authorized transfers, and state or federal cost recovery funds related to hazardous waste investigations. The primary purpose of the EPHTF is to provide ongoing financial support for public health research, including environmental and biological sample collection, surveys, and studies examining the human health impacts of environmental conditions. The fund is intended to complement, not replace, existing public health investigation funding, and will operate with a focus on equity, fairness, and efficiency. All research and surveillance efforts supported by the fund must be publicly published electronically on the General Court and department websites, with the Commissioner required to submit annual itemized expenditure reports to legislative clerks and committees. Importantly, funds in the EPHTF will not revert to the general fund, and all interest earned will be retained within the fund, ensuring a dedicated and potentially growing resource for environmental public health research.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2519