ASSEMBLY, No. 2970

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MAY 12, 1997

By Assemblymen ASSELTA, ZISA, Gibson, Rocco, Assemblywoman Crecco, Assemblymen Moran, Geist, Cottrell, Garcia, Bagger, Carroll, Augustine, Kavanaugh, Lance, Felice, Weingarten, Bucco, Arnone, Cohen, Azzolina, Romano, Assemblywoman Friscia, Assemblyman Impreveduto, Assemblywoman Pou, Assemblymen DeCroce, Holzapfel, Assemblywoman Heck, Assemblymen Malone, Stuhltrager, Wolfe, T.Smith, Rooney, Bateman, Kramer, Assemblywoman Wright, Assemblymen Talarico, Bodine, Chatzidakis, Assemblywomen Farragher, Turner, Assemblymen Corodemus, Wisniewski, LeFevre, Greenwald, Charles, Suliga, Gregg, Zecker, Assemblywoman Allen, Assemblymen R.Smith, Dalton, Assemblywomen Quigley, Weinberg, Cruz-Perez, Assemblyman Roberts, Assemblywomen Buono, Vandervalk, Assemblymen Green, Blee, Stanley, DeSopo, O'Toole, Doria and Steele

An Act concerning setting the United States flag at half-staff and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

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

    1. a. The Governor, upon timely notification and verification of the death of a federal, State or local law enforcement officer or firefighter who works in New Jersey and who died in the line of duty, shall direct that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff for one week at the State House. The flag shall be flown upon an existing flagstaff or, at the option of the Governor, one erected at an appropriate site, after consultation with organizations representing law enforcement officers and firefighters on the location and design of the flagstaff.

    The flag flown in honor of the deceased law enforcement officer or firefighter shall be presented to the family of that officer or firefighter.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill would require the United States flag at the State Capitol be flown at half-staff when a federal, State or local law enforcement officer or firefighter dies in the line of duty. The bill would allow the flag to be flown upon an existing flagstaff or newly constructed flagstaff. The flag would be flown at half-staff for one week and then presented to the family of the fallen law enforcement officer or firefighter. New Jersey residents value and support the vital work performed by the law enforcement officers and firefighters. This gesture of sorrow and gratitude will serve as a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Requires State House flag be flown at half-staff for law enforcement officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty.