S4831 2R

Sponsored by:

Senator NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN

District 38 (Bergen)

SYNOPSIS

Extends certain provisions of P.L.2021, c.498.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As reported by the Assembly State and Local Government Committee on January 5, 2026, with amendments.

An Act concerning a return to employment by certain former employees of the Legislature after retirement from the Public Employees’ Retirement System, and amending P.L.2021, c.498.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

²[1. Section 1 of P.L.2021, c.498 is amended to read as follows:

1. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1954, c.84 (C.43:15A-1 et seq.) to the contrary, a former member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System who is a former employee of the Legislature and who has been granted a retirement allowance ¹[prior to the effective date of P.L.2021, c.498, or during calendar years 2022, 2023, or 2024,]¹ for any cause other than disability, may return to employment in the Legislature, without cancellation of the retirement and reenrollment in the system, [for a term of not more than four years] if: (1) the return commences no less than 30 days after the retirement allowance becomes due and payable; (2) the former member had attained the service retirement age, applicable to that member, as of the date of retirement; and (3) the former member is re-employed as a part-time employee and works no more than 20 hours per week.

The former member’s retirement shall have been a bona fide retirement and any employment or reemployment under this section shall not be prearranged before retirement.

This section shall be effective if the qualified status of the retirement system under federal law can be maintained upon its application, and such notifications to the system as may be available shall be made to allow for its application.

A former member of the Legislature shall not be eligible to return to employment or office with the Legislature under this section.

A former member of the retirement system who returned to employment pursuant to this section prior to the effective date of [P.L.2023, c.249] P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be permitted to extend the term of the return to employment [from two years to four years from the date of return] indefinitely.

(cf: P.L.2023, c.249, s.1)]²

²1. Section 1 of P.L.2021, c.498 shall be amended to read as follows:

1. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1954, c.84 (C.43:15A-1 et seq.) to the contrary, a former member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System who is a former employee of the Legislature and who has been granted a retirement allowance prior to the effective date of P.L.2021, c.498, or during calendar years 2022, 2023, or 2024, for any cause other than disability, may return to employment in the Legislature, without cancellation of the retirement and reenrollment in the system, for a term of not more than [four] seven years if: (1) the return commences no less than 30 days after the retirement allowance becomes due and payable; (2) the former member had attained the service retirement age, applicable to that member, as of the date of retirement; and (3) the former member is re-employed as a part-time employee and works no more than 20 hours per week.

The former member’s retirement shall have been a bona fide retirement and any employment or reemployment under this section shall not be prearranged before retirement.

A former member of the Legislature shall not be eligible to return to employment or office with the Legislature under this section.

A former member of the retirement system who returned to employment pursuant to this section prior to the effective date of [P.L.2023, c.249] P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be permitted to extend the term of the return to employment from two years to [four] seven years from the date of return.²

(cf: P.L.2023, c.249, s.1)

2. This act shall take effect immediately.