Bill Text: NJ A5910 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Increases annual salary of certain public employees and officers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-01-16 - Approved P.L.2023, c.349. [A5910 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2022-A5910-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY, No. 5910

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 4, 2024

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  JOSEPH V. EGAN

District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Increases annual salary of certain public employees and officers.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning the annual salary of certain public employees and officers, amending various parts of the statutory law, and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    N.J.S.2B:2-4 is amended to read as follows:

     2B:2-4.  Judicial Salaries.

     Annual salaries of justices and judges beginning on January 1, [2009] 2024 and thereafter shall be:

            Chief Justice of the Supreme Court              [$192,795] $234,191.95

            Associate Justice of the Supreme Court       [$185,482] $226,292.11

            Judge of the Superior Court,

            Appellate Division                                         [$175,534] $215,545.82

            Judge of the Superior Court,

            Assignment Judge                                          [$171,731] $211,437.65

            Presiding Judge of the Superior Court;

            Presiding Judge of the Tax Court

$207, 166.50

            Judge of the Superior Court;

            Judge of the Tax Court                                  [$165,000] $204,166.50

     [The annual salaries of justices and judges shall be increased by $8,000 in calendar year 2018.  The annual salaries of justices and judges set in calendar year 2018, shall be increased by $8,000, beginning on January 1, 2019.  The annual salary of justices and judges set on January 1, 2019, shall be increased by $8,000 beginning on January 1, 2020.]

     Beginning on January 1, [2021] 2025, and on January 1 of each year for [four] two years thereafter, the amount of the annual salary determined for the prior calendar year shall be adjusted annually by the State Treasurer in direct proportion to the percent change in the Consumer Price Index over a 12-month period beginning November 1 and ending October 31.  For the purpose of this section, "Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island Metropolitan Area, All Items (1982-84=100), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States Department of Labor.  The State Treasurer shall determine the amount of the adjustment by December 1 of each year and the adjustment shall become effective for payments to be made during the calendar year following the determination, beginning with payments made on or after January 1 of each calendar year.  An adjustment in the annual payment shall be made only if the percent change in the Consumer Price Index for the period specified is greater than zero. Such an annual adjustment shall in no event be greater than 2 percent.  If the reference base of the index is changed, the index used to determine the Consumer Price Index shall be the index converted to the new base by standard statistical methods.  The first adjustment determination shall be made by December 1, [2020] 2024 and applicable to payments commencing on January 1, [2021] 2025.  The [financial] final adjustment shall be made on December 1, [2024] 2026 and be applicable for payments commencing on January 1, [2025] 2027.  No further adjustments shall be made thereafter.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.14, s.1)

 

     2.  Section 1 of P.L.1948, c.16 (C.52:10A-1) is amended to read as follows:

     1.    a.  Members of the Senate and General Assembly shall receive annually, during the term for which they shall have been elected and while they shall hold their office, compensation in the sum of [$35,000.00 beginning with the 1990 legislative year and compensation in the sum of] $49,000 beginning with the 2002 legislative year and thereafter and $82,000 beginning with the 2026 legislative year and thereafter.

     The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly, each by virtue of his office, shall receive an additional allowance, equal to 1/3 of his compensation as a member.  The compensation herein provided shall be paid to each member upon his qualifying into office as such member, and the additional allowance herein provided to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly shall be paid upon his qualifying into office as such officer.

     b.    Each member of the Senate and General Assembly shall be provided with an allowance of $150,000 during each annual legislative session for member staff services.  There shall be appropriated annually to the Legislature, from the general revenues of the State, the amount necessary to provide such an allowance to each member.

(cf: P.L.1999, c.380, s.12)

 

     3.    Section 3 of P.L.2018, c.14 (C.52:11-5.3) is amended to read as follows:

     3.    a.  The annual salary of the executive director of each full time legislative staff operating under the direction of the Senate President, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of each House of the Legislature shall be fixed and established by the President of the Senate and by the Speaker of the General Assembly, as appropriate, for each director in any amount that the President or Speaker determines to be appropriate for that director, but shall not exceed [$175,000 in] $210,000 in calendar year [2018] 2024 and thereafter.

     b.  The annual salary of the executive director of the Office of Legislative Services operating under the direction of the Legislative Services Commission shall be fixed and established to be consistent with the annual salary of the executive directors of the full time legislative staff operating under the direction of the Senate President, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of each House of the Legislature, but shall not exceed $210,000 in calendar year 2024 and thereafter.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.14, s.3)

 

     4.    Section 1 of P.L.1973, c.357 (C.52:14-15.104c) is amended to read as follows:

     1.    The annual salary of the Governor shall be fixed and established at $130,000.  Beginning with the commencement of the term of office of the Governor inaugurated in January of 2002 and thereafter, the annual salary of the Governor shall be fixed and established at $175,000.  Beginning with the commencement of the term of office of the Governor inaugurated in January of 2026 and thereafter, the annual salary of the Governor shall be fixed and established at $210,000.

(cf: P.L.1999, c.380, s.1)

 

     5.    Section 1 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.107) is amended to read as follows:

     1.    Notwithstanding the provisions of the annual appropriations act and section 7 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.110), the annual salary for each of the following officers shall be [$175,000] $210,000 in calendar year [2018] 2024 and thereafter:

     Title

     Agriculture Department

            Secretary of Agriculture

     Children and Families Department

            Commissioner of Children and Families

     Community Affairs Department

            Commissioner of Community Affairs

     Corrections Department

            Commissioner of Corrections

     Education Department

            Commissioner of Education

     Environmental Protection Department

            Commissioner of Environmental Protection

     Health Department

            Commissioner of Health

     Human Services Department

            Commissioner of Human Services

     Banking and Insurance Department

            Commissioner of Banking and Insurance

     Labor and Workforce Development Department

            Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development

            Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission

     Law and Public Safety Department

            Attorney General

            Colonel and Superintendent, State Police

            Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness

     Military and Veterans' Affairs Department

            Adjutant General

     State Department

            Secretary of State

            Secretary of Higher Education

     Transportation Department

            Commissioner of Transportation

            Chief Administrator, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission

     Treasury Department

            State Treasurer

            State Comptroller

            Chief Technology Officer

     Members, Board of Public Utilities

(cf: P.L.2018, c.14, s.2)

 

     6.    Section 2 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.108) is amended to read as follows:

     2.    The salary ranges for the following positions shall be as established by the Civil Service Commission with the approval of the Director, Division of Budget and Accounting.  The salary rate for any such position shall be the salary step in such range next above the salary currently being paid; provided, however, that any sums appropriated for salaries may be made available for salary adjustments therein arising from various exigencies of the State service and for normal merit salary increments as the Civil Service Commission, the State Treasurer and the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting shall determine; and provided, further, that nothing in this act shall reduce the salary rate for any such position below that which is being paid on the effective date of this act:

     Community Affairs Department

            Assistant Commissioner of Community Affairs

            Director, Division of State and Regional Planning

            Director, Division of Local Government Services

            Director, Division of Housing and Urban Renewal

            Director, Office of Aging Programs

            Director, Office on Women

     Environmental Protection Department

            Director, Division of Water Resources

            Director, Division of Parks and Forestry

            Director of Fish, Game and Shell Fisheries

            Director, Division of Marine Services

            Director, Division of Environmental Quality

     Health [and Senior Services] Department

            Director, Division of Narcotic and Drug Abuse Control

            Chief State Medical Examiner

     Corrections Department

            Chairman, State Parole Board

            Associate Member, State Parole Board

            Public Defender

     Labor and Workforce Development Department

            Director, Workplace Standards

     Law and Public Safety Department

            [Colonel and Superintendent, State Police]

            Director, Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control

            State Superintendent of Weights and Measures

     Public Utilities Department

            Director, Office of Cable Television

            Executive Director, Public Broadcasting

     State Department

     Transportation Department

            Assistant Commissioner for Highways

            Assistant Commissioner for Public Transportation

            [Chief Administrator, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission]

     Treasury Department

            Director, Division of Budget and Accounting

            Director, Division of Taxation

            Director, Division of Purchase and Property

            Director, Division of Pensions and Benefits

            Director, Division of State Lottery.

(cf: P.L.2018, c.62, s.48)

 

     7.    (New section) The Lieutenant Governor, serving as the head of a principal department otherwise eligible to a salary adjustment pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.107) as amended by P.L.   , c.  (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be ineligible for such salary adjustment until the commencement of the term of office of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor inaugurated in January of 2026.

 

     8.    (New section) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.107) or any other law to the contrary, amounts received by the State from the federal Emergency Management Performance Grant Program allowable for the salary costs of the Superintendent of the State Police shall be paid to the Superintendent of the State Police as supplemental compensation in addition to the annual salary provided for in section 1 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.107).

 

     9. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill increases the annual salary of certain public employees and officers.

     The bill continues the annual salary adjustment for justices and judges for an additional two years, based on the change in the Consumer Price Index.  Under current law, the annual adjustment began on January 1, 2021, and is set to end with payments made in 2025.  The final adjusted payments under this bill will be made in 2027.  This bill also recognizes the current salaries for justices and judges as of January 1, 2024.  The bill also establishes $207,166.50 as the salary for Presiding Judges of the Superior Court and Presiding Judges of the Tax Court.

     The bill also increases the annual salary for members of the Legislature from $49,000 to $82,000, commencing in 2026.  The salary was last increased in 2002.  The bill codifies the annual allowance provided to each member of the Senate and General Assembly for member staff services, which will be $150,000. The current allowance is $135,000 and is not provided for by statute.

     The bill increases from $175,000 to $210,000 the cap on the annual salary that is paid to the executive director of each full time legislative staff operating under the direction of the Senate President, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of each House of the Legislature.  It also adds the executive directive of the Office of Legislative Services operating under the direction of the Legislative Services Commission to this cap on annual salary and requires that this executive director's salary be consistent with the annual salary of the other executive directors.

     This bill increases the annual salary for the Governor of the State from $175,000 to $210,000, commencing in 2026.  The Governor's salary was last increased in 2002.

     The bill also increases the annual salary for the members of the Governor's cabinet from $175,000 to $210,000.  The salary was last increased in 2018.

     The bill adds the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, the Colonel and Superintendent of the State Police, the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the Secretary of Higher Education, the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, the State Comptroller, and the Chief Technology Officer to the officers receiving the statutorily designated salary.  The bill also removes the Colonel and Superintendent of the State Police and the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission from the officers whose salaries are determined by the Civil Service Commission.

     The bill specifies that the Lieutenant Governor, serving as the head of a principal department, will be ineligible for a salary increase until the commencement of the term of office of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor inaugurated in January of 2026. 

     Finally, the bill determines that amounts received by the State from the federal Emergency Management Performance Grant Program allowable for the salary costs of the Superintendent of the State Police will be paid to the Superintendent of the State Police as supplemental compensation in addition to the annual salary established in statute.

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