House Bill No. 5241 establishes a Triple Bottom Line Justice (TBLJ) demonstration pilot program, set to begin on October 1, 2026, under the direction of the Commissioner of Public Health in partnership with the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. The program aims to address health, environmental, and economic challenges in communities, particularly in cities with populations exceeding 148,000, such as Bridgeport. It will utilize the "Brownfields to Healthfields" (B2H) methodology to transform contaminated properties into beneficial community spaces and will incorporate ICD-10 Z codes to document social, economic, and environmental determinants of health. The program's goals include developing educational curricula, assessing healthcare resource generation through ICD-10 Z codes, and identifying the benefits of B2H initiatives.

The bill also mandates that the Department of Public Health (DPH) increase the use of ICD-10 Z codes in health insurance claims to at least 20% by January 1, 2030, with annual progress reports required from the DPH commissioner. The pilot program will conclude with a comprehensive report to legislative committees by January 1, 2028, detailing findings and recommendations. The anticipated costs for the program are approximately $402,100 in FY 27 and $475,900 in FY 28, with ongoing expenses expected in subsequent years. The bill emphasizes the need to address environmental and climate stressors, which negatively impact human health, and includes provisions for hiring staff and educational initiatives related to the use of ICD-10 Z codes.