Bill > A2326

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the Health Equity Access and Leadership (HEAL) Fund, a separate non-lapsing dedicated account within the Health Care Subsidy Fund. The Health Care Subsidy Fund (HCSF) receives its revenues from several State taxes, among them the cigarette tax and the HMO Premiums Assessment. With this revenue, the HCSF supports various health care initiatives throughout the State, including NJ FamilyCare and Charity Care. Under the bill, the HCSF is expanded to include an allocation to support the HEAL Fund. The Commissioner of Health (commissioner) is to use the HEAL Fund to distribute competitive grants to health care community-based organizations and service providers that provide essential health care services to: 1) underserved or underinsured patient populations for which access has been reduced due to a substantial loss of State or federal funds; and 2) all patients regardless of the patient's race, creed, immigration status, age, relationship status, and various other characteristics. Additionally, the grants are to be distributed to applicants who have not received any revenue from a federal funding source in the 12 months prior to the application submission date. In addition to annual allocations from the HCSF, which are required to be equal to at least 0.1 percent of the revenue projected to be deposited into the HCSF in the applicable State fiscal year, the HEAL Fund is also the repository of a $25 million appropriation from the General Fund made under the bill and any other funds approved by the commissioner. For reference, in State fiscal year 2026, 0.1 percent of the projected revenue deposited into the HCSF is approximately $2 million. The distribution of grant awards is to be according to the availability of funds, and the process and criteria established by the commissioner. Eligibility criteria, at a minimum, is to include the requirements outlined in the bill as well as the applicant's need for funds to maintain existing services. The commissioner is also required to submit an annual report to the Governor and to the Legislature detailing HEAL Fund activity and grant awards; as well as recommendations for continued or expanded support of the HEAL Fund.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Cody Miller (D)*,  Luanne Peterpaul (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Infrastructure Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document