ASSEMBLY, No. 1267

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblyman RUSSO

An Act concerning the death benefit payable to beneficiaries of certain retired members of the Judicial Retirement System and amending P.L.1973, c.140.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Section 19 of P.L.1973, c.140 (C.43:6A-19) is amended to read as follows:

    19. Upon the receipt of proper proofs of the death of a member who has retired on a pension or retirement allowance based on age and service, or pursuant to section 10, there shall be paid to the member's beneficiary, an amount equal to one-fourth of the final salary received by the member, except that if the member shall have died while engaged in temporary service within the judicial system to which the member shall have been recalled under the provisions of subsection b. of section 13 of P.L.1973, c.140 (C.43:6A-13), the amount so paid shall be equal to one and one-half times that final salary.

(cf: P.L.1981, c.470, s.12)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be retroactive to June 1, 1994.

STATEMENT

    This bill revises the amount of the lump sum death benefit payable to the surviving beneficiary of a retired member of the Judicial Retirement System who dies while engaged in temporary service within the judicial system to which the retirant shall have been recalled by the Supreme Court.

    Under present law, the amount of the lump sum death benefit payable upon the death of a retired JRS member (other than certain disability retirants) is equal to one-fourth of the retired member's final salary. Under this bill, if the death occurs while the retirant is engaged in temporary service as a recalled justice or judge, the amount of the benefit would be increased to one and one-half times that final salary, the same as the amount payable upon the death of a JRS member who dies in active service.

Increases lump sum death benefit payable to beneficiary of JRS retirant who dies while engaged in temporary judicial service.