Sponsored by:
Assemblyman STERLEY S. STANLEY
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman ROBERT J. KARABINCHAK
District 18 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Atkins and Egan
SYNOPSIS
Extends certain provisions of P.L.2022, c.9.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the mandatory retirement age of police chiefs and fire department chiefs and amending P.L.2022, c.9.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2022, c.9 (C.43:16A-5.3) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. A member of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System, established pursuant to P.L.1944, c.255 (C.43:16A-1 et seq.), who:
is serving as a police chief of a law enforcement agency or a chief of a fire department on the effective date of [this act,] P.L.2022, c.9; and
will attain the age of 65 years during the period commencing on the effective date of [this act] P.L.2022, c.9 and ending on the last day of the [24th] 48th calendar month following that effective date,
may remain a member of the system, notwithstanding the mandatory retirement provision of section 5 of P.L.1944, c.255 (C.43:16A-5), until the end of the calendar year in which the member attains the age of 67 years if the appointing authority approves, in writing, the retention and continued service after the age of 65 years of the police or fire chief as the chief.
b. Within 30 days after the last day of the [24th] 48th calendar month following the effective date of [this act] P.L.2022, c.9, the Board of Trustees of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System shall submit a report to the Governor, and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the effect of this section on the retirement system. The report shall include the number of members who were retained and continued to serve as the police or fire chief, the length of that service after the age of 65 years, and the impact of that extended service on the retirement system.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.9, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill extends certain provisions of P.L.2022, c.9.
Under current law, a member of PFRS is required to retire upon reaching age 65. However, a member of PFRS who: is serving as a police chief of a law enforcement agency or a chief of a fire department on the effective date of P.L.2022, c.9 (April 12, 2022); and will attain the age of 65 years during the period commencing on that effective date and ending on the last day of the 24th calendar month following that effective date (in the year 2024), may remain a member of the system, notwithstanding the mandatory retirement age, until the end of the calendar year in which the member attains the age of 67 years if the appointing authority approves, in writing, the retention and continued service after the age of 65 years of the police or fire chief as the chief. Additionally, PFRS members hired prior to January 1, 1987 may remain a member of the system until the member attains 68 years of age or 25 years of creditable service, whichever comes first.
This bill amends current law to extend by two additional years the ability of a member of the PFRS who is serving as a police or fire chief on the effective date of P.L.2022, c.9 and will attain the mandatory retirement age of 65 years within the period commencing on that effective date and ending on the last day of the 24th calendar month following that effective date. This bill extends the 24th calendar month date by another two years, to be the 48th calendar month after the enactment of P.L.2022, c.9.