Bill Text: NJ S1964 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Revises certain functions of New Jersey Firemen's Home and composition of board of managers.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2022-03-07 - Withdrawn from Consideration [S1964 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-S1964-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator NILSA I. CRUZ-PEREZ
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Revises certain functions of New Jersey Firemen's Home and composition of board of managers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the New Jersey Firemen's Home and supplementing and amending various sections of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.30:7-1 is amended to read as follows:
30:7-1. The mission of the board of managers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home shall be to provide long term nursing and residential care services throughout the State to aged, needy, or disabled firemen.
The board of managers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, shall consist of the president of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association, the Governor of the State, the State Commissioner of Banking and Insurance and the State Comptroller, and one member elected from each county of the State [and one additional member who shall be a fully paid fireman, elected from each of the counties of Essex and Hudson]. The president of the firemen's association, the Governor, the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance and the State Comptroller, respectively, for the time being, shall be ex-officio members of the board of managers.
[The elected members shall be elected by New Jersey State Firemen's Association in annual convention assembled. They] A manager from each county shall be elected by a vote of all firemen in good standing from their respective county pursuant to rules promulgated by the board of managers. All firemen in good standing are eligible to be elected to the position of manager.
The managers shall hold office for a term of four years from the [first day] second Saturday of October next succeeding their election and until their successors are elected [and qualify] at the annual reorganization meeting of managers.
A vacancy occurring among [the elected members] the managers other than by expiration of a term shall be filled [as follows: The president of the] by appointment of the chairman of the board of managers of the New Jersey State Firemen's [Association shall appoint] Home from the county in which the vacancy occurred [a] . The successor [to] shall serve [until the first day of October next succeeding the appointment and at the next annual meeting of the association there shall be elected from the county in which the vacancy occurred a member to serve for] the balance of the unexpired term.
The [members] managers shall receive no
compensation for
their service but may be reimbursed their actual expenses in connection with their duties as managers from the funds of the home.
(cf: P.L.2000, c.149, s.1)
2. (New section) The New Jersey Firemen's Home shall have the authority to:
a. purchase, construct, lease and operate a licensed long-term residential care facility;
b. borrow money and secure the same by mortgage upon any property held or to be held by it, subject to the approval of the Governor, for all capital improvements; and
c. designate and contract with available, suitable, and appropriate institutions or facilities throughout the State, whether owned or operated by a government entity, third party, or otherwise, to provide long term nursing and residential care services to aged, needy, or disabled firemen.
3. R.S.54:18-8 is amended to read as follows:
54:18-8. All monies received by the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association from the [2%] two percent tax on fire insurance premiums paid by insurance companies not organized in this State, on behalf of municipalities or fire districts which do not have a duly incorporated local firemen's relief association affiliated with the State Association under R.S.43:17-2 et seq., shall be dedicated to the New Jersey Firemen's Home. Upon adoption of the budget, subject to the approval of the Governor, in accordance with R.S.30:7-1 et seq., these funds shall be allocated to the Board of Managers for the operation of the New Jersey Firemen's Home. A certified copy of the budget approved by the Governor shall be filed immediately with the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association.
The Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association shall return to the general fund of the State Association the balance of the monies not required for the annual operation of the New Jersey Firemen's Home.
If there are not sufficient funds in the account for the annual operating expenses of the New Jersey Firemen's Home [in accordance with R.S.30:7-1 et seq., the Board of Managers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home shall certify the amount of the deficiency to the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association. The certification shall be filed before the fiscal year for the New Jersey Firemen's Home commences. The certification shall set forth the specific sum necessary to fund the operational expenses of the New Jersey Firemen's Home. The operational budget shall include all necessary costs for the maintenance and operation of the home, including purchase of equipment. Upon receipt of the certification, the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association shall pay the certified amount to the New Jersey Firemen's Home no later than May 1 of each year.
The procedure set forth below shall be followed if the Board of Managers proposes a capital project consisting of a building addition to the New Jersey Firemen's Home or the construction of a new facility:
a. At least 30 days before the capital project is submitted to the Governor, the Board of Managers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home shall submit to the officers and executive committee of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association, a description of the proposed project, and costs thereof, including future operational costs. Within 30 days of receipt of the notice the officers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home and New Jersey State Firemen's Association shall approve or disapprove the funding necessary therefor. After the project has been approved or disapproved, the executive committee shall meet in a special executive session to confirm the action of the officers.
b. If the officers or the executive committee disapproves the proposed capital project, the board of managers or the officers may appeal to the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance who shall issue a final decision within 30 days, but in any event not later than November 1 of any year. The budget then shall be submitted to the Governor for approval pursuant to law]
as approved by the Governor, the Treasurer of the State Fireman's association shall pay any deficiency to the New Jersey Fireman's Home no later than the first day of May each year from the two percent tax on fire insurance premiums paid by insurance companies not organized in this State.
(cf: P.L.1997, c.41, s.7)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill revises certain procedures related to the management of the New Jersey Firemen's Home. The New Jersey Firemen's Home is the only licensed health care facility in this State that provides long term care and residential services exclusively for New Jersey firefighters.
The Fireman's Home is governed by a board of managers who, subject to the approval of the Governor, direct and control its property and concerns; make by-laws, rules, and regulations; and determine the compensation, duties, and term of service of its officers and employees. Under current law, the board of managers consists of the President of the New Jersey State Firemen's Association, the Governor of the State, the State Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, the State Comptroller, one member elected from each county, and one additional member who is a fully paid fireman, elected from Essex and Hudson counties. This bill removes from the board of managers the additional member from Essex and Hudson counties. The bill also provides that managers from each county are to be elected by their respective counties in accordance with election procedures promulgated by the board of managers.
In addition, the bill revises the procedures by which managers of the New Jersey Firemen's Home are elected and their vacancies filled. Under current law, members are elected by the New Jersey Fireman's Association to serve four-year terms and membership vacancies are filled by the president of the New Jersey Firemen's Association. Under the bill, the managers are to be elected to the board for four-year terms. Membership vacancies also would be filled by the chairman of the board of managers to serve the balance of the unexpired term.
The bill also grants the New Jersey Firemen's Home the power and authority to purchase, construct, lease and operate a licensed long-term residential care facility. The New Jersey Firemen's Home also would have the authority to borrow money and secure a mortgage for all capital improvements, subject to approval by the Governor. In addition, the New Jersey Firemen's Home would have the authority to designate and contract with available, suitable, and appropriate institutions or facilities throughout the State to provide long term nursing and residential care services to aged, needy, or disabled firemen.
Finally, this bill revises R.S.54:18-8, which requires a two percent tax on the premiums of fire insurance policies written by out-of-State insurance companies on New Jersey properties. This tax is currently paid to the New Jersey State Fireman's Association, which distributes a portion of the tax receipts to the New Jersey Firemen's Home based on the home's annual budget as approved by the Governor. The two percent tax that is paid by insurance companies on behalf of municipalities or fire districts which do not have a local firemen's relief association is dedicated to the New Jersey Firemen's Home. If there are not sufficient funds for the approved budget, current law requires the board of managers to certify to the Treasurer the amount of the deficiency with the specific sum necessary to fund the operational expenses of the New Jersey Firemen's Home.
This bill removes from current law the certification process and requires the Treasurer of the State Fireman's association to pay any deficiency to the New Jersey Fireman's Home no later than the first day of May each year from the two percent tax on fire insurance premiums paid by insurance companies not organized in this State. Under the bill, the Governor would have the sole authority to review the operations of the New Jersey Firemen's Home, inclusive of borrowing funds or undertaking capital improvements.
