STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman SEAN T. KEAN
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Permits surviving spouse of retired member of PFRS to be enrolled in SHBP and to continue to receive pension benefit after remarriage in certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain benefits for the surviving spouse of a retired member of the Police and Firemens Retirement System and supplementing P.L.1944, c.255 (C.43:16A-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the surviving spouse of a retired member of the Police and Firemens Retirement System who died prior to, on, or after the effective date of this act, P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and who was receiving an accidental disability retirement allowance pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1944, c.255 (C.43:16A-7) at the time of death shall be eligible to enroll for health care benefits coverage in the State Health Benefits Program after the effective date of this act and the annual premiums for such coverage for the surviving spouse and any dependent children shall be paid in full by the State.
Such a surviving spouse shall also be eligible to continue to receive the pension benefit pursuant to section 26 of P.L.1967, c.250 (C.43:16A-12.1) upon remarriage. The State shall be responsible for any increase in contributions to the retirement system required of employers other than the State due to the continuation of the payment of the pension benefit after remarriage.
b. Subsection a. of this section shall apply only if the surviving spouse provides documentation, approved by the Board of Trustees of the Police and Firemens Retirement System, demonstrating that the injury that caused the disability, complications therefrom, or the aggravation or acceleration of a preexisting condition caused thereby was a significant contributing factor in the retired members death. An eligible surviving spouse whose pension was terminated due to remarriage prior to the effective date of this act may apply to the board to have the pension benefit reinstated and payable again commencing from the date of application.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under this bill, certain surviving spouses of retired members of the Police and Firemens Retirement System (PFRS) will receive State-paid health care benefits through the State Health Benefits Program and a continuation of pension benefits after remarriage.
The surviving spouse of a retired member of the PFRS who died prior to, on, or after the effective date of this bill and who was receiving an accidental disability retirement allowance at the time of death will be eligible to enroll for health care benefits coverage in the State Health Benefits Program after the effective date of this bill and the annual premiums for such coverage for the surviving spouse and any dependent children will be paid in full by the State.
Such a surviving spouse will also be eligible to continue to receive upon remarriage the pension benefit provided by current law to surviving spouses of deceased retired members. The State will be responsible for any increase in contributions to the retirement system required of employers other than the State due to the continuation of the payment of the pension benefit after remarriage.
This bill will only apply if the surviving spouse provides documentation, approved by the Board of Trustees of the PFRS, demonstrating that the injury that caused the disability, the complications from that disability, or the aggravation or acceleration of a preexisting condition caused by the disability was a significant contributing factor in the retired members death. An eligible surviving spouse whose pension was terminated due to remarriage prior to the effective date of this bill may apply to the board to have the pension benefit reinstated and payable again commencing from the date of application.