ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2286

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

      The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2286.

      As amended, this bill establishes eligibility in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) for county fire instructors employed and enrolled before November 1, 2008, who performed service as a county fire instructor in each calendar year of membership, who received a salary greater than $1,500 annually, and who were permanent career service employees in the civil service.

      The bill provides that any person who was enrolled in the Public Employees’ Retirement System prior to November 1, 2008 for service in a county as a fire instructor and was notified within five years prior to the effective date of the bill that such service as a fire instructor was determined ineligible for enrollment in the retirement system is to be granted service credit for that period of enrollment determined ineligible for membership in the retirement system, provided the person repays any contributions and interest that were returned when it was determined that the person was ineligible for membership in the retirement system.

      This bill would address the situation of county fire instructors who were enrolled in PERS, but subsequently were deemed not eligible for membership due to the irregular and limited work schedule of the position.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 2286 is identical to Senate Bill No. 871 (1R), which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

· replace reference to a person’s membership in the retirement system being terminated with reference to a member’s enrollment in the Public Employees’ Retirement System prior to November 1, 2008 for service in a county as a fire instructor;

· extend the notification period specified in the bill from three years prior to the effective date of the bill to five years;

· delete language concerning a person being reenrolled in the retirement system on the condition that the person repay any contributions and interest that were returned when membership was terminated; and

· provide that that person who served as a fire instructor that was determined ineligible for enrollment in the retirement system is to be granted service credit for that period of enrollment, provided the person repays any contributions and interest that were returned when it was determined that the person was ineligible for membership in the retirement system.