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Bill > S685


NJ S685

NJ S685
Permits municipal, county, and regional police and fire forces to establish five-year residency requirement for police officers and firefighters; allows exceptions to requirement under certain circumstances.


summary

Introduced
01/14/2020
In Committee
07/28/2020
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/11/2022

Introduced Session

2020-2021 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill would permit a municipality to adopt an ordinance prohibiting an applicant from obtaining employment with the municipal police department, paid fire department, or part-paid fire department unless the applicant agrees to remain a resident of the municipality for the first five years of his employment. Under this bill, county and regional police and fire forces would also have the power to institute a residency requirement. In any municipality with such an ordinance, the applicant would have six months from the date the applicant begins his or her official duties, following all requisite training, to relocate to the municipality, county, or region served by the force. The bill would allow an exception to this residency requirement if any member of the fire department or police department suffers injury, or a threat of injury, to his person, family, or property, committed by another who acts with purpose to: (1) intimidate the member because of his status as a member; (2) manipulate an investigation; or (3) otherwise influence the member to violate his official duty.

AI Summary

This bill would permit municipalities, counties, and regional police and fire forces to establish a five-year residency requirement for new police officers and firefighters, with exceptions allowed if the employee suffers injury or threat to their person, family, or property. The residency requirement would not apply to municipalities or counties that operate under civil service rules, unless they specifically adopt such an ordinance approved by the Commissioner of Community Affairs. The bill also allows joint meetings or regional service agencies to institute a similar five-year residency requirement for their police and fire departments.

Committee Categories

Housing and Urban Affairs

Sponsors (3)

Last Action

Senate Amendment (25-0) (Ruiz) (on 12/20/2021)

bill text


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