Bill > S3607

This bill extends the accidental death benefit for survivors of certain retirees from the State Police Retirement System (SPRS), which is a pension fund for state police officers. Specifically, it allows surviving spouses, children, or their legal guardians to receive accidental death benefits if the retiree was enrolled in the SPRS and participated in World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations, and their death is determined to be a result of that participation. This benefit is now available even if the retiree retired under ordinary disability, special retirement, or service retirement allowances, not just accidental disability, and removes a previous requirement for the retiree to have died before July 8, 2019. The bill also clarifies that a specific written and sworn statement previously required for qualification is no longer necessary, and the lump sum death benefit will be 3.5 times the retiree's final compensation. The provisions apply to deaths resulting from qualifying health conditions related to World Trade Center operations, and applications must be submitted within two years of the member's death or the bill's effective date, whichever is later.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S3607