Committee advances bill to raise cancer‑research funding to $10 million for NJ Commission on Cancer Research

Senate Bill S773, sponsored by Sen. Singer, would increase the portion of cigarette and other tobacco‑product tax revenue directed to the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR) to $10,000,000 and establish a dedicated, non‑lapsing Cancer Research Fund.

Quintin Law of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network told the committee the NJCCR has awarded more than $52 million since 1983 but currently cannot fund many meritorious proposals. “At a time when federal cancer research funding faces uncertainty, New Jersey can strengthen its research infrastructure at home,” Law said, noting that in the past fiscal year the commission received 105 applications but funded only 25 projects.

Dr. Stephanie Chepalkin, a cancer researcher and survivor, emphasized the clinical stakes and the role of seed grants in helping researchers compete for federal awards. Testimony cited a state commission analysis showing a 20‑to‑1 return on some seed investments, in which $4.8 million in NJCCR funding helped recipients secure roughly $98 million in outside funding.

Senators on the committee described bipartisan support for the measure and the fund’s role in seeding research, retaining talent and supporting high‑paying jobs. The committee moved and voted to release S773 to allow further consideration.

The committee’s release of S773 does not itself appropriate money; it advances the bill in the legislative process for further consideration and potential floor action.