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Bill > A3672


NJ A3672

NJ A3672
Permits inclusion of volunteer firefighters and other emergency responders within municipal eligible employee group for purposes of small employer health benefits plan statutes.


summary

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

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill resolves an apparent conflict between provisions in chapter 10 of Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes, which permit municipalities to offer group health insurance benefits to volunteer fire fighters and emergency responders, and provisions in chapter 27A of Title 17B of the New Jersey Statutes regarding small employer health benefits plans. For example, although N.J.S.40A:10-30 authorizes a municipality to provide group health plans to volunteer firefighters, those volunteers are not considered eligible employees under the small employer health benefits plan statutes. This bill clarifies that these volunteers, as well as emergency responders, may be included in the group of eligible employees in municipalities regarded as small employers, and thereby receive coverage under the same group plan.

AI Summary

This bill clarifies that volunteer firefighters and other emergency responders can be included as "eligible employees" when a municipality is considered a "small employer" for the purposes of health benefits plans. Previously, while municipalities were allowed to offer health insurance to these volunteers, they weren't formally recognized as eligible employees under the laws governing small employer health benefits plans. This change ensures that these dedicated individuals can now be covered under the same group health plans as other municipal employees, resolving a potential conflict in existing laws and making it easier for municipalities to provide these benefits.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee (on 01/13/2026)

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