SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1388

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

      The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1388.

      This bill resolves an apparent conflict between provisions in chapter 10 of Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes, which permit municipalities to offer group health insurance benefits to volunteer fire fighters and emergency responders, and provisions in chapter 27A of Title 17B of the New Jersey Statutes regarding small employer health benefits plans.  For example, although N.J.S.40A:10-30 authorizes a municipality to provide group health plans to volunteer firefighters, those volunteers are not considered eligible employees under the small employer health benefits plan statutes.  This bill clarifies that these volunteers, as well as emergency responders, may be included in the group of eligible employees in municipalities regarded as small employers, and thereby receive coverage under the same group plan.

      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.