This bill mandates a minimum annual appropriation of $10 million from the State's General Fund to the Department of Health for Public Health Priority Funding, effective July 1 following the bill's enactment. This funding is intended to support local health departments in New Jersey, allowing them to address local health needs and emerging threats with greater flexibility. The bill aims to reinstate funding that was eliminated in the FY 2011 Appropriations Act, which previously provided local health departments with unrestricted funds to manage their priorities.

The legislation supplements the Public Health Priority Funding Act of 1977, which historically allowed for dedicated funding to local health departments. Prior to 2011, this funding represented about 15 percent of the total financial support for these departments. Currently, local health departments rely on property taxes and designated State and federal funding, which limits their ability to respond to various health challenges effectively. The bill seeks to restore a critical source of funding that enables local health departments to operate more autonomously and effectively.