Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
                              [First Reprint]
                                SENATE, No. 3121
                             STATE OF NEW JERSEY
                               221st LEGISLATURE
                                         DATED: NOVEMBER 12, 2024
                                                  SUMMARY
    Synopsis:                   Requires certain local authorities to inspect, maintain, and repair fire
                                hydrants in planned real estate developments.
    Type of Impact:             Annual expenditure and revenue increase to local governments.
    Agencies Affected:          Certain municipal authorities.
                                       Office of Legislative Services Estimate
    Fiscal Impact                                                        Annual
    Local Expenditure Increase                                        Indeterminate
    Local Revenue Increase                                            Indeterminate
    The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that the bill would result in an indeterminate
     increase in annual expenditures to certain municipal authorities associated with the cost of the
     inspection, maintenance, repair, and cost of operation of fire hydrants located on streets and
     roads in planned real estate developments.
    The OLS cannot estimate the number of fire hydrants that exist within the service borders of
     each municipality or within the State that would be subject to the provisions of the bill. The
     OLS also cannot estimate the annual cost of water, materials, and labor to operate, inspect,
     maintain, and repair fire hydrants pursuant to the bill. Therefore, the amount of the increase
     in annual expenditures is indeterminate.
    The OLS expects the bill to result in an indeterminate increase in annual local revenue as a
     result of an increase in water service charges authorized pursuant to existing law related to the
     responsibility of a municipal authority concerning fire hydrants located within its service
     borders. The amount of this revenue is related to the amount of the expenditure, and the
     amount of the revenue is therefore also indeterminate.
      Office of Legislative Services                                    Legislative Budget and Finance Office
           State House Annex                                                    Phone (609) 847-3105
              P.O. Box 068                                                       Fax (609) 777-2442
      Trenton, New Jersey 08625                                                  www.njleg.state.nj.us
                                             FE to S3121 [1R]
                                                     2
                                      BILL DESCRIPTION
     This bill would require that every municipal authority created pursuant to the municipal and
county utilities authorities law assume the same responsibility for the inspection, maintenance,
repair, and cost of operation of fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate
developments within its service borders, regardless of whether those roads or streets are dedicated
to the municipality in which the planned real estate development is located, as it exercises over
fire hydrants located along public streets and roads. Under the bill, these authorities are to inspect,
maintain, repair, and pay the cost of operation of fire hydrants located on streets and roads in
planned real estate developments within their service borders in the same manner and to the same
extent as fire hydrants that are not located in planned real estate developments are inspected,
maintained, and repaired by that authority.
                                           FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
   None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
     The OLS finds that the bill would result in an indeterminate increase in annual expenditures to
certain municipal authorities associated with the cost of the inspection, maintenance, repair, and
cost of operation of fire hydrants located on streets and roads in planned real estate developments.
The OLS cannot estimate the number of fire hydrants that exist within the service borders of each
municipality or within the State that would be subject to the provisions of the bill. The OLS also
cannot estimate the annual cost of water, materials, and labor to operate, inspect, maintain, and
repair fire hydrants pursuant to the bill. Therefore, the amount of the increase in annual
expenditures is indeterminate.
     The OLS expects the bill to result in an indeterminate increase in annual local revenue as a
result of an increase in water service charges authorized by current law. The amount of this
revenue is related to the amount of the expenditure, and the amount of the revenue to be generated
is therefore also indeterminate.
  Section:      Local Government
  Analyst:      Grace Ahlin
                Assistant Fiscal 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.).