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Bill > A1870

NJ A1870

NJ A1870
Provides workers' compensation benefits for certain public safety workers who developed illness or injury as result of responding to September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill provides that a public safety worker who participated in the response to the September 11, 2001 attacks and is treated or monitored through the World Trade Center Health Program established by the Centers for Disease Control is presumed to be compensable under the State workers' compensation law without respect to when the worker files his claim for compensation, except that the claim is required to be filed within two years after the effective date of the bill, with certain exceptions. If a worker has previously collected benefits under any foreign state or federal workers' compensation law, or federal fund or program dedicated to paying medical, temporary, or permanency benefits for conditions causally related to injury, illness or death related to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the receipt of those benefits will be a credit to the employer, against an award of either medical, temporary or permanency benefits. If a foreign workers' compensation or federal fund claim is pending and has not yet resulted in the payment of benefits, an award will only be payable as in excess to the foreign state award. If a federal fund claim results in the payment of benefits, then any payment paid or awarded will comply with the federal rules, regulations and statutes concerning collateral source reduction or reimbursement for collateral sources. The bill requires the Division of Archives and Records Management in the Department of State, and each county, municipality, regional or joint public safety entity, or other agency involved in the public safety, to notify all active and retired personnel and next-of-kin, if the personnel are deceased, of the presumption of compensability within three months of the effective date of the bill.

AI Summary

This bill establishes a presumption of compensability under New Jersey's workers' compensation law for public safety workers who developed illnesses or injuries as a result of their participation in the response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, provided they are being treated or monitored through the World Trade Center Health Program, a federal program managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means that their conditions are presumed to be work-related, regardless of when they file their claim, though claims must generally be filed within two years of the bill's effective date or when the worker reasonably should have known about their permanent disability related to the exposure. The bill also clarifies how benefits received from other foreign, state, or federal programs for 9/11-related conditions will be credited against any awards under New Jersey law, ensuring that payments from those sources are accounted for and that any new awards comply with federal rules regarding collateral source reductions. To ensure affected workers and their families are aware of these rights, various government entities, including the Division of Archives and Records Management and local public safety agencies, are required to notify all active and retired personnel, and the next-of-kin of deceased personnel, about this presumption within three months of the bill's enactment.

Committee Categories

Labor and Employment

Sponsors (9)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee (on 01/13/2026)
(3 Companion Bills)

bill text

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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A1870
BillText https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A2000/1870_I1.HTM
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