The bill revises the definition of "child" within the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) and the State Police Retirement System (SPRS) in New Jersey. The new definition includes a deceased member's or retirant's unmarried child who is under 18, 18 years or older and enrolled in secondary school, or under 24 and enrolled in a degree program for at least 12 credit hours per semester. Additionally, it expands eligibility to include children of any age who are disabled due to an intellectual disability or physical incapacity lasting a minimum of 12 months, as confirmed by the medical board.

Furthermore, the bill eliminates the previous requirement that a child must have been a dependent at the time of the member's death due to an accident occurring in the line of duty. This change broadens the eligibility for benefits, allowing more children to qualify under the retirement systems regardless of the circumstances surrounding the member's death. The legislation aims to provide enhanced support to families of deceased members and is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:16A-1, 53:5A-3