SENATE WOMEN'S ISSUES, CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1416

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JANUARY 23, 1997

      The Senate Women's Issues, Children and Family Services Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 1416 with committee amendments.

      As amended by committee, this bill would require the parties in a divorce action to continue to maintain or continue to share in the cost of maintaining all existing insurance coverage as of the date of the filing of the action and until the judgement is entered or it is otherwise agreed to by the parties.

      The bill would also require the party who has maintained the coverage to notify the other party when there is a change in that party's employment status which would make insurance coverage unavailable. Nothing in this bill would diminish the authority of the court to make appropriate changes concerning the coverage.

      This bill embodies recommendation number 4 of the report of the Commission to Study the Law of Divorce, issued April 18, 1995.

      The committee amended the bill to require that when filing for an action of divorce, the parties involved in the action maintain or continue to share in the costs of maintaining all insurance coverages as of the date of filing of the action, not just when the custody, visitation or support of a child is an issue.