SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2470

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 9, 2024

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2470, with committee amendments.

      This bill, as amended, allows a county prosecutor, nominated and appointed pursuant to the State Constitution, to receive credit in the Prosecutors Part of the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) for service as a judicial law clerk in a State Court if the county prosecutor purchases credit for that service after being appointed to serve as a county prosecutor.  Under current law, such a purchase after appointment is not recognized as service credit in the Prosecutors Part.

      The bill also removes the statutory prohibition on retired members of the Judicial Retirement System practicing law in this State, if the retired member is serving as a county prosecutor appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.  While serving as a county prosecutor, the retired member may not enroll in any other State-administered retirement system on the basis of that service. 

      As amended, the bill establishes a separate salary for Presiding Judges of the Superior Court, Appellate Division, which will be $3,000 more than that of other Appellate Division judges.

      The bill also raises the salaries of county prosecutors to $204,166.50 retroactive to January 1, 2024, and provides for those salaries to be adjusted tied to inflation in each of the next two years.  The final adjustment will occur in 2026 for salaries to be paid in 2027.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments raise the salary of county prosecutors to $204,166.50 and provide for two years of automatic adjustments to this salary according to inflation rates.

      The amendments create a separate salary for Presiding Judges of the Superior Court, Appellate Division, which is $3,000 more than that of other Appellate Division judges.

      The amendments also allow for retired members of the Judicial Retirement System to continue to practice law in this State as a county prosecutor, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The current law prohibits this practice.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      Fiscal information is currently unavailable.