This bill amends the laws governing the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) in New Jersey to enhance the eligibility of survivors for death benefits. It removes the prohibition on remarriage for widows and widowers of PFRS members, allowing them to continue receiving death benefits even if they remarry. Additionally, the bill reclassifies individuals who lost their eligibility due to remarriage prior to the bill's enactment, enabling them to receive a pension from the effective date of the act. The definitions of "widow" and "widower" are also modified to eliminate the requirement of not having remarried to qualify for benefits.

Furthermore, the legislation ensures that surviving spouses or domestic partners retain their eligibility for pension benefits regardless of remarriage or entering into a new domestic partnership. It mandates that the State reimburse employers, excluding the State, for any increased costs associated with the pension benefits payable to these survivors. This bill aims to provide equitable treatment for all surviving spouses and partners, restoring benefits that were previously eliminated under a 2003 law, and is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:16A-1, 43:16A-9, 43:16A-12.1