This bill amends the New Jersey Charitable Registration and Investigation Act to exempt specific volunteer emergency service organizations from registration filing fees. The new legal language specifies that non-profit corporations, associations, or organizations involved in providing emergency medical care, rescue services, patient transport, or fire protection services—including part-paid fire departments and emergency service providers—will not incur any fees from the Attorney General for filing either a long form or short form registration statement. This exemption is designed to reduce the financial burden on these essential organizations, enabling them to focus more resources on their critical community safety and emergency response roles.

Currently, charitable organizations that raise over $10,000 in a fiscal year are required to register and pay a fee, which varies based on the amount raised. For example, organizations raising $25,000 or less must file a short form registration with a $30 fee, while those raising more than $25,000 must file a long form registration with fees ranging from $60 to $250. The proposed changes would provide significant financial relief to volunteer emergency service organizations, allowing them to allocate more resources towards their essential services and enhancing their capacity to respond to emergencies effectively.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 45:17A-24, 45:17A-25