LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 3946

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

DATED: AUGUST 4, 2026

SUMMARY

Synopsis:	Requires emergency medical technicians and firefighters to receive training concerning electric vehicle fires.
Type of Impact:	Annual State cost increase; potential annual local cost increase.
Agencies Affected:	Department of Community Affairs, Department of Health, Department of Human Services.

Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact	Annual
State Cost Increase	Indeterminate
Potential Local Cost Increase	Indeterminate

· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that the bill will result in an indeterminate annual increase in State expenditures associated with any costs incurred by the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs and the Department of Health to develop the required training courses for firefighters and emergency medical technicians, respectively, regarding electric vehicle fires.

· Local governments may also experience an annual indeterminate cost increase to ensure that firefighters and emergency medical technicians, both paid and volunteer, receive the required training.

BILL DESCRIPTION

      This bill requires firefighters and emergency medical technicians within the State to be trained on the risks associated with electric vehicles and in the safe and effective management of electric vehicle fires.  The Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute, is to adopt a training course for firefighters.  The bill requires each person, volunteer or paid, who is engaged in fire suppression, firefighting, or fire rescue prior to the bill’s effective date to satisfactorily complete the training course within 36 months.  In addition, the training is to be included in the course requirements prescribed by the division for a Firefighter 1 certification. 

      The bill also requires the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute, and the New Jersey State First Aid Council, to adopt a training course for emergency medical technicians regarding the risks associated with electric vehicles and how to safely and effectively perform their duties when they are called to the scene of an electrical vehicle fire.  An emergency medical technician is required to complete the training as a condition of certification. An emergency medical technician certified prior to the act’s effective date is required, within 36 months of the bill’s effective date, to satisfactorily complete the training course.

FISCAL ANALYSIS

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

      None received.

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

      The OLS concludes that the bill will result in an indeterminate annual increase in State expenditures for several State agencies.  The actual increase will depend on whether the Division of Fire Safety and Department of Health’s current levels of staff and resources are sufficient to implement the provisions of the bill or would need to be augmented or supplemented by outside vendors.  The OLS notes that there are roughly 60,000 firefighters and emergency medical technicians in the State who could be covered by this bill, although there is some overlap between the two populations. 

      The OLS notes that local governments may also experience an annual indeterminate cost increase to ensure that firefighters and emergency medical technicians, both paid and volunteer, receive the required training.

Section:	Local Government
Analyst:	Adrian Crook Lead Research Analyst
Approved:	Thomas Koenig Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).