Bill > S4093

This bill aims to address the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters in New Jersey. It does this in several ways: 1. It expands the duties of the Division of Fire Safety to include managing any Americorps programs related to volunteer firefighters and implementing a recruitment program for volunteer firefighters. 2. It establishes a paid service program for first-time volunteer firefighters, providing a monthly stipend of $750 for up to 12 months if they volunteer at least 15 hours per month. This program is funded through a new Volunteer Firefighter Fund. 3. It creates a Volunteer Firefighter Tuition Remission Program that allows volunteer firefighters to receive tuition remission for up to 16 undergraduate or 8 graduate credits per semester for up to 8 semesters at public institutions of higher education, in exchange for 4 years of volunteer service. 4. It encourages school districts to offer after-school programs on volunteer fire service for students in grades 6-8, and requires county vocational schools to incorporate instruction on firefighting and emergency medical services into their curriculum. 5. It provides a $1,000 state income tax credit for volunteer firefighters who perform at least 100 hours of volunteer service per year. The bill also appropriates $2 million to the Department of State to fund the Volunteer Firefighter Fund and the various programs established in the bill.

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https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2022/S4093