This bill amends New Jersey's laws regarding health care benefits for public employees, particularly in cases where both spouses are public employees eligible for coverage. It mandates that the employee with the highest annual compensation must select health care coverage from their employer, disqualifying the spouse from receiving benefits from their own employer if that employer offers dependent coverage. This requirement applies to various public entities, including local boards of education, counties, municipalities, and independent state authorities.

Additionally, the bill prohibits public employers from making payments to employees who opt to waive their health care coverage, removing previous provisions that allowed for such compensation, which was subject to collective bargaining. The decision to waive coverage will not be negotiable with employee unions, granting public employers the authority to establish these policies independently. The bill is set to take effect six months after its enactment and ensures that it does not interfere with existing collective negotiation agreements.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:16-14, 40A:10-17.1, 52:14-17.31, 18A:64A-13.1