ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 4904
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: FEBRUARY 20, 2025
The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4904.
As amended and reported, this bill extends certain provisions of P.L.2022, c.9. Under current law, a member of the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) is required to retire upon reaching age 65. However, a member of PFRS who: is serving as a police chief of a law enforcement agency or a chief of a fire department on the effective date of P.L.2022, c.9 (April 12, 2022); and will attain the age of 65 years during the period commencing on that effective date and ending on the last day of the 24th calendar month following that effective date (in the year 2024), may remain a member of the system, notwithstanding the mandatory retirement age, until the end of the calendar year in which the member attains the age of 67 years if the appointing authority approves, in writing, the retention and continued service after the age of 65 years of the police or fire chief as the chief. Additionally, PFRS members hired prior to January 1, 1987 may remain a member of the system until the member attains 68 years of age or 25 years of creditable service, whichever comes first.
As amended by the committee, the bill extends by three additional years the ability of a member of PFRS who is serving as a police or fire chief on the effective date of P.L.2022, c.9 and will attain the mandatory retirement age of 65 years within the period commencing on that effective date and ending on the last day of the 24th calendar month following that effective date. This bill extends the 24th calendar month date by three years, to be the 60th calendar month after the enactment of P.L.2022, c.9.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:
The committee amended the bill to delete the reference to the 48th calendar month, and to replace it with a reference to the 60th calendar month after the enactment of P.L.2022, c.9.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This bill is not certified as requiring a fiscal note.