Steinhardt bill to expand lung cancer screening access for first responders, veterans advances
TRENTON, N.J. — Bipartisan legislation that would establish a statewide lung cancer screening awareness and referral program for first responders and veterans has advanced in the New Jersey Senate.
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee advanced the bill, S-4042, sponsored by state Sen. Doug Steinhardt, R-Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren.
The legislation would establish the New Jersey First Responder and Veteran Lung Cancer Screening Awareness and Referral Program and require the state Department of Health to develop and distribute educational materials to first responders and veterans’ groups.
The materials would provide information about lung cancer risk factors, eligibility for low-dose computed tomography, or LDCT, screenings, the benefits of early detection and available screening services.
The program would also establish an online directory of screening facilities and voluntary referral protocols designed to help eligible first responders and veterans access low-dose CT lung cancer screenings.
“Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in New Jersey, and sadly, it is often caught too late,” said Senator Steinhardt. “Firefighters, law enforcement, EMS personnel, and veterans face elevated risks of developing lung cancer and respiratory diseases due to various occupational hazards and environmental exposures. Research continues to show that early detection leads to better outcomes. This bill is about making sure our first responders and veterans know the risks, understand when they should be screened, and can easily access potentially life-saving resources.”
The majority of the legislation was authored by high school students from Bridgewater who founded New Jersey’s first high school chapter of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative.
“Firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and veterans face some of the highest lung cancer risks in the state, and most of them have no idea they qualify for screening,” said Srikrishna Dowlapalli, President of the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Chapter ALCSI. “I am immensely grateful to Senator Steinhardt and the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee for moving the bill forward.”
The legislation must advance through the Senate before it could be sent to the Assembly for consideration.
