New Jersey Senate Bill S918

New Jersey 2022-2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/31/22
• Refer: 1/31/22
• Report Pass: 6/13/22
• Refer: 6/13/22

Caption

"Assistance to Firefighters' Families Act"; doubles pension amounts for beneficiaries of certain deceased volunteer emergency service providers; provides for burial expenses and adjusts life insurance coverage for volunteer firefighters; permits fire code inspection surcharge.

Impact

The bill's amendments will impact New Jersey's statutes related to survivor pensions and the insurance benefits provided to volunteer emergency service workers and their families. It raises the maximum coverage for group life insurance from $25,000 to $250,000, allowing municipalities to offer more substantial financial support to the families of volunteer emergency workers. Furthermore, the legislation permits municipalities to establish a surcharge on fire code inspections to help cover these increased costs, effectively enabling local agencies to sustain these benefits without solely relying on state funding.

Summary

Senate Bill S918, known as the 'Assistance to Firefighters' Families Act,' proposes significant enhancements to the benefits afforded to the families of volunteer emergency service providers, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians who die in the line of duty. This legislation aims to double the survivor pension amounts from $15,000 to $30,000 annually for the surviving spouses and children of these individuals. Additionally, it introduces provisions for covering reasonable burial and funeral expenses that are not already covered by existing relief associations, thus providing greater support to grieving families.

Contention

While the bill aims to provide crucial support for the families of volunteer emergency service workers, it may also raise challenges regarding the financial implications for municipalities tasked with implementing these benefit increases. Concerns could arise about the sustainability of the surcharge mechanism and whether it could place undue financial burdens on community resources and budget allocations. There may be debate surrounding the adequacy of funding structures and the potential worldviews on prioritization of financial support in volunteer emergency services compared to other public service sectors.