SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3121

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

      The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee reports favorably, with committee amendments, Senate Bill No. 3121.

      As amended, this bill requires, in the interest of public safety, that every municipal authority created pursuant to the “municipal and county utilities authorities law,” P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-1 et seq.), assume the same responsibility for the inspection, maintenance, repair, and cost of operation of fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate developments within its service borders, regardless of whether those roads or streets are dedicated to the municipality in which the planned real estate development is located, as it exercises over fire hydrants located along public streets and roads.  Under the provisions of the bill, these authorities are to inspect, maintain, repair, and pay the cost of operation of fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate developments within their service borders in the same manner and to the same extent as fire hydrants that are not located in planned real estate developments are inspected, maintained, and repaired by that authority.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to require each municipal authority to assume the cost of operation of fire hydrants located on streets in planned real estate developments within its service borders.  The committee also made technical changes to the bill.