ASSEMBLY LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4745

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  DECEMBER 7, 2020

 

      The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4745.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 4745 would increase, from 45 to 57, the age by which a firefighter is required to join the fire service to establish eligibility for the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association and for an exempt fireman certificate.  In addition, the bill allows the New Jersey State Exempt Firemen’s Association to determine the percentage of service necessary to issue an exempt fireman certificate. 

      Under current law, a firefighter is required to join the fire service between the ages of 18 and 45 in order to be eligible for an exempt fireman certificate.  The amended bill increases the maximum age at which an firefighters are eligible for an exempt certificate to 57 years old. 

      Current law also provides that exempt fireman certificates are issued to eligible firefighters who have responded to at least 60 percent of their department’s fire duty calls over a seven-year period. The amended bill would allow the New Jersey State Exempt Firemen’s Association to determine after January 1, 2020 the percentage of fire duty calls to which a firefighter is required to respond in order to receive an exempt fireman certificate. 

      The bill would take effect immediately and be retroactive to January 1, 2020.

 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to:

      1) allow the New Jersey State Exempt Firemen’s Association to determine the percentage of fire duty calls to which a firefighter is required to respond in order to receive an exempt fireman certificate following January 1, 2020; and

      2) provide that its provisions are to take effect immediately and be retroactive to January 1, 2020.  As introduced, the bill was to take effect immediately and be retroactive to February 22, 2020.