SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1421

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 18, 2026

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1421.

      As reported by the committee, this bill requires each municipality to provide basic life support (BLS) and ambulance service to meet the needs of its population and designates BLS as an essential service in this State. 

     Under the bill, the governing body of a municipality may arrange BSL by: providing a license or franchise to a private company; contracting with a public, private, or nonprofit entity for the service; entering into a mutual aid agreement with one or more municipal governing bodies; entering into an agreement with a hospital; or providing fire department, emergency medical services, or public safety based basic life support service throughout the State, county, fire district, joint meeting, regional service agency of municipality, political subdivision, instrumentality, or agency.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.