The bill revises the definitions of "child" within the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) and the State Police Retirement System (SPRS) in New Jersey. It now includes a deceased member's or retirant's unmarried child who is under 18, 18 years or older and enrolled in secondary school, or under 24 and enrolled in a degree program for at least 12 credit hours. Furthermore, it expands eligibility to include children of any age who are disabled due to an intellectual disability or physical incapacity lasting a minimum of 12 months, as confirmed by the medical board.

Significantly, the bill removes the previous requirement that the member must have died in active service due to an accident while performing their duty, and that the death was not a result of the member's willful misconduct. This change broadens the eligibility for benefits, allowing more children of deceased members or retirants to receive support from the retirement system, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the member's death. Overall, the bill aims to enhance support for the families of deceased members by expanding access to benefits for a wider range of children.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:16A-1, 53:5A-3