SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3426

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 29, 2025

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3426.

      As reported by the committee, this bill requires the Civil Service Commission to establish and maintain a mentoring program for civil service firefighter applicants. 

     The purpose of the mentoring program is to assist applicants residing in a municipality with a median income at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level through the civil service application, examination, and selection process, and to help address obstacles unique to their circumstances. 

     The program may be conducted through mentoring projects, including workshops, group discussions, and dissemination of information about civil service practices which provide assistance in overcoming barriers to employment.  The program is to be designed to provide mentoring to an applicant for the duration of the exam cycle, until the mentee completes the hiring process. 

     The program is to include a study group to help applicants in any municipality with a median income at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level with the resources needed to compete with applicants in other communities that benefit from outside private study groups.

     The commission is required to develop criteria to determine eligibility in the program as a mentor and as a mentee.  A mentor may be a current or former firefighter in good standing who obtained a firefighter position through the civil service process, or any other person deemed appropriate by the commission. 

     A mentor or mentee may be removed from the mentoring program for good cause as determined by the commission.  A mentee would be removed from the program upon the mentee’s acceptance of an offer of employment.  An applicant may participate in the program as a mentee a maximum of three times within a 10-year period.  A former mentee may be eligible to participate in the program as a mentor. 

     No monies would be provided to a mentor to participate in the program, and no fees would be charged to a mentee to participate in the program.

     At least once a year, the commission is required to review the program for its efficacy, and make any necessary adjustments to continue to meet the needs and purpose of the program.