ASSEMBLY, No. 1429

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 1996

By Assemblyman CORODEMUS

An Act concerning budget transfers by certain municipalities for lifeguard purposes and amending N.J.S.40A:4-58.

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

    1. N.J.S.40A:4-58 is amended to read as follows:

    40A:4-58. a. (1) Should it become necessary, during the last 2 months of the fiscal year, to expend for any of the purposes specified in the budget an amount in excess of the respective sums appropriated therefor and there shall be an excess in any appropriations over and above the amount deemed to be necessary to fulfill the purpose of such appropriation, the governing body may, by resolution setting forth the facts, adopted by not less than 2/3 vote of the full membership thereof, transfer the amount of such excess to those appropriations deemed to be insufficient; no transfers may be made to appropriations for contingent expenses or deferred charges.

    (2) Should it become necessary during the period of time extending from Memorial Day through Labor Day, for a municipality bordering on the Atlantic Ocean to expend amounts in excess of the amount appropriated in the budget for lifeguard purposes and for lifesaving and safety equipment, in order to ensure public safety on the beach and in the ocean, the governing body may, by resolution setting forth the facts, adopted by not less than 2/3 vote of the full membership thereof, transfer the amount of such excess to those appropriations deemed to be insufficient. These transferred funds may also be used to inform and educate the public regarding the hazards of dangerous surf conditions.

    b. No transfers may be made under this section from appropriations for

    1. contingent expenses,

    2. deferred charges,

    3. cash deficit of preceding year,

    4. reserve for uncollected taxes,

    5. down payments,

    6. capital improvement fund,

    7. interest and redemption charges.

(cf: N.J.S.40A:4-58)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    The purpose of this bill is to permit municipalities bordering on the Atlantic Ocean to transfer funds from various accounts, at any time from Memorial Day through Labor Day, to accounts out of which expenditures related to the hiring of lifeguards and the purchase of lifesaving and safety equipment are made, for the purpose of increasing lifeguard protection on municipal beaches by the hiring of additional lifeguards and by extending the hours of lifeguard protection on those beaches. The sponsor is concerned that many of the drownings during the 1995 beach season occurred during daylight hours after 5:00 PM, as a result of unusual surf conditions caused by hurricanes and tropical storms, and intends that the provisions of this bill will assist municipalities in providing increased lifeguard protection after 5:00 PM, when lifeguards are generally off-duty. The transferred funds may also be used by a municipality to inform and educate the public regarding the hazards of dangerous surf conditions.

Permits budget transfers for lifeguard purposes during beach season.