LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 2786

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: OCTOBER 15, 1997

      Assembly Bill No.2786 (1R) of 1997 requires paid, career-service, entry-level firefighters appointed after enactment of this act to satisfactorily complete a basic training program approved by the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs before being assigned to suppression or rescue duty.

      The training program must include at least 84 hours of instruction and utilize a curriculum providing one-time initial training.

      Firefighters are required to satisfactorily complete the program within one year of appointment. Modules of the program that are initially failed, however, may be retaken until passed. The course must be offered at central locations, such as county fire academies or State facilities.

      The bill as amended provides that expenses directly attributable to the training program are to be annually reimbursed by the Division of Fire Safety in an amount not to exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year. The amendments also clarify that the training is to be made available to volunteer firefighters, but is not mandatory.

      Further, as amended, regulations governing the curriculum of the training program are to be based on the standards set forth in chapter 18C of Title Five of the New Jersey Administrative Code or on any recognized national standard incorporated by reference. The Commissioner of Community Affairs, however, may make modifications to any regulations that are based on incorporated standards.

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) is not able to estimate the potential cost to the State of establishing such a training program for newly-appointed entry level firefighters because there is no statewide information on the number of initial fire fighter appointments made annually. The basic training mandate in this bill applies only to initial fire fighter appointments made after this bill is signed into law. The funds to pay for the program are required by the bill to be made available from the Division of Fire Safety to county fire academies or State facilities in an amount not to exceed $500,000 in any fiscal year.       This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal estimate.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.