SENATE WOMEN'S ISSUES, CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1493

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: OCTOBER 7, 1996

      The Senate Women's Issues, Children and Family Services Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 1493.

      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 judgment 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 4 of the report of the Commission to Study the Law of Divorce, issued April 18, 1995.

      This bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 66, sponsored by Walter Kavanagauh, which was also released by this committee on October 7, 1996.