Bill > S739

Introduced Session

This bill establishes a "Salute to Service and Sacrifice Memorial Commission." Under the bill, there is established in, but not of, the Department of Law and Public Safety a commission to be known as the "Salute to Service and Sacrifice Memorial Commission." The purpose of the commission is to select a location and design for the construction of a "Salute to Service and Sacrifice Memorial" that honors and recognizes law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty. A non-lapsing fund will be established for the design, construction, and maintenance of the memorial The commission is to consist of the following thirteen members: the Attorney General or designee, a representative of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association, a representative of the New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police, a representative of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, a representative from the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association, a representative from the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey, a representative from the New Jersey Emergency Medical Services Council, a representative from the New Jersey State First Aid Council, two public members with experience in the design, construction, or maintenance of memorials, and three public members who are family members of a fallen law enforcement officer, a fallen firefighter, and a fallen emergency medical services personnel. All members are to be appointed by the Governor. The bill requires the appointments to be made within 90 days of the bill's effective date. The commission is to organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of the majority of the members. A majority of all of the authorized members constitutes a quorum. Under the bill, the Department of Law and Public Safety is to provide staff and related support services as the commission requires to carry out its work. The bill requires the commission to select a suitable design and location for the construction of the Salute to Service and Sacrifice Memorial Fund and to oversee the construction of the memorial. The memorial is required to have three walls to represent the following branches of emergency service: law enforcement, firefighting, and emergency medical service. Each wall will contain the names of each fallen law enforcement officer, firefighter, and emergency medical services personnel, as appropriate. The walls are to be constructed with additional space to add additional names as necessary. Within 18 months of the bill's effective date, the commission is required to submit a final report to the Governor and the Legislature which is to include the final design and location selected for the memorial. Finally, the bill establishes in the Department of Treasury a special non-lapsing fund to be known as the "Salute to Service and Sacrifice Memorial Commission Fund." The fund will support the design, construction, and maintenance of the Salute to Service and Sacrifice Memorial. The fund is to be credited with any donations by members of the public, funds appropriated by law, or any other moneys that may become available for its purpose.

Committee Categories

Douglas Steinhardt (R)*,  Latham Tiver (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document