This bill aims to prevent municipal utilities authorities from charging fire districts for water service related to fire protection systems if those authorities are already imposing water service charges on customers who are also taxpayers of the fire district. The new legal language specifies that a municipal authority's rate structure for water service charges must not impose additional charges on fire districts under these circumstances. This change is intended to eliminate the double billing that can occur when a ratepayer, who is also a taxpayer of the fire district, is charged for fire protection water supply both through utility rates and fire district taxes.

The bill amends Section 21 of P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-21) to include this prohibition, ensuring that fire districts are not unfairly burdened with additional costs for services that their taxpayers are already funding. The legislation is designed to create a more equitable system for funding fire protection services, thereby alleviating financial pressure on residents who are already contributing to these services through their taxes. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40:14B-21