This bill establishes a framework for identifying and maintaining a list of essential employees who are permitted to travel during a state of emergency in New Jersey. The Director of the State Office of Emergency Management, in consultation with the Superintendent of State Police, is tasked with creating and managing this list to assist law enforcement and emergency management personnel in determining who qualifies as an essential employee. Essential employees include public safety workers, first responders, and others deemed necessary by the governor to protect critical infrastructure and public health during emergencies.

Entities can submit information about individuals they believe qualify as essential employees for inclusion on this list. The director will review these submissions and designate individuals as essential employees based on their qualifications. Additionally, the director has the authority to remove individuals from the list if they no longer meet the criteria or if their inclusion is deemed unnecessary. Importantly, any information related to essential employees submitted to the State Office of Emergency Management will not be classified as a government record and will be protected from disclosure, except for specific emergency management purposes.