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Legislature Advances Bill to Guarantee Minimum Funding for Guam Cancer Trust Fund
Summary
The Legislature advanced Bill 1‑38 COR to third reading, setting a statutory minimum appropriation for the Guam Cancer Trust Fund of 15% of Healthy Futures Fund receipts or $4,000,000 annually, whichever is greater.
The Guam Legislature moved Bill 1‑38 COR, which sets the annual appropriation level for the Guam Cancer Trust Fund at a minimum of 15% of Healthy Futures Fund collections or $4,000,000 annually (whichever is greater), to the voting file and then to third reading.
Senator Tydegui, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure ensures sustained and dependable funding for cancer screening, treatment, outreach and patient support. “This bill is about justice,” she said on the floor, noting decades of high cancer incidence on Guam and underfunding of the trust in past budgets.
Supporters cited public‑health data and testimony submitted during the public hearing: the Guam Cancer and Health Disparities Report (2022) was referenced by a senator noting 1,587 new cancer cases and 806 cancer deaths over five years and that many cancers are diagnosed at late stages. Witnesses and nonprofit advocates, including Guam Cancer Care and Catholic Social Services, testified to the financial strain families face when treatment requires travel off‑island.
Floor action: The sponsor asked that several senators be added as cosponsors; the motion to place Bill 1‑38 COR on the voting file and then to third reading carried with no objection recorded at the time. The sponsor also moved to include a resolution of support from the Guam Youth Congress into the record; the motion was entered.
Context and implications: The Healthy Futures Fund is financed by taxes on tobacco and related products; revenues have declined in recent years, in part because of changes in consumption patterns and the spread of vaping products, witnesses said. Several senators encouraged complementary policy work to capture revenue from e‑cigarettes and vaping products to stabilize Healthy Futures Fund collections.
Next steps: Bill 1‑38 COR was moved to the third‑reading/voting file. If approved on third reading and enacted, the statutory minimum will create a floor for the cancer fund but will not by itself allocate additional money beyond available Healthy Futures Fund receipts.
