ASSEMBLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2843

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 16, 1997

      The Assembly Local Government Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2843.

      Assembly Bill No. 2843 would increase from 36 to 60 months the period during which laid-off firefighters would be eligible, and accorded preference, for reemployment appointments.

      Qualified firefighters who are laid-off for reasons of economy can be placed on a special statewide reemployment list that would be circulated to local governmental appointing authorities by the Department of Personnel. This priority hiring program would benefit both local governmental units seeking to employ trained and experienced firefighters and qualified officers seeking reemployment.

      One of the program's statutory qualifications is that firefighters are only eligible during the initial 36 months following the official date of their lay-off. Highly trained and qualified firefighters could be dropped from the program because they may be unable, through no fault of their own, to secure reemployment within that arbitrary 36 month period. The purpose of this bill is to assist such firefighters by extending the eligibility period to 60 months. It parallels amendments made under P.L.1996, c.13 which provided a comparable extension for certain law enforcement officers.