This letter from the Chair of the PFRSNJ Board of Trustees is being sent this morning to the Certifying Officers of all PFRS locations. This letter will answer many of the questions that have been asked.

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The Assembly Appropriations Committee today released Senate Bill 1017 to restore the 20 and Out retirement benefit to PFRS. The bill has already been scheduled for final passage in the Assembly on March 1st, 2021 where, following passage, it will be sent to the Governor for his signature.

Today’s action is the final Committee step in a years long process by the State PBA to restore justice to PFRS members who had this benefit taken from them by the Christie Administration.

After several days of discussions between the State PBA and Senate leaders, the Senate Budget Committee yesterday amended and moved forward Senate Bill 1017 to restore the 20s and Out benefit for PFRS members. 

There is no question that the anti-police rhetoric and attacks on our profession from politicians and special interest groups has caused many officers to consider an early retirement.  While there is overwhelming support to restore the 20 year retirement option, the potential stress that this could cause to the funding of the PFRS was a concern for some legislators. In order to get the ball moving on more quickly offering this benefit amendments were proposed in the Budget Committee to provide a roughly 2 year window for early retirements.

The amended bill would reestablish a 20 year retirement option for anyone currently enrolled, regardless of their year of enrollment in PFRS, but the benefit would be frozen again 25 months after the bill becomes law.  This will allow the State to analyze the impact of the retirement benefit for consideration of making the benefit permanent. 

While we would prefer that 20 and Out become permanent now this amendment makes it more likely the bill can move swiftly while its fiscal impact is analyzed in real time. 

The bill now requires a full Senate vote and consideration by the Assembly Budget Committee and the full Assembly. 

Governor Murphy last night signed several pieces of legislation last night including several of interest to the State PBA:

Coronavirus Deaths and Illness eligible for Benefits

Most importantly the Governor signed a bill to provide that PFRS members who contract the coronavirus and develop serious health problems or pass away are eligible for PFRS accidental disability or death benefits.  The final version of the bill, a State PBA priority, was crafted by us to ensure the membership was offered the most access possible to these benefits. This will provide important protections for any officer who became ill or died and for those still facing the disease.  To be eligible for the benefits a member must:

The member contracts COVID-19 and tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the public health emergency and is disabled from it as a result;

The member’s regular or assigned duties required the member to interact, and the member so interacted, with the public or to directly supervise other personnel so interacting with the public on any date during the public health emergency and within 14 calendar days prior to the appearance of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that were confirmed in writing by a licensed health care provider on a form approved by the board of trustees and also confirmed by a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2;

A member who retired during the public health emergency may apply for a retirement allowance pursuant to this bill.

For an accidental death benefit, a member whose death is attributable to COVID-19, complications therefrom, or the aggravation or acceleration of a preexisting condition caused thereby will be deemed to have occurred as the result of an accident met in the actual performance of duty at some definite time and place if:

The member contracted COVID-19 and the member’s death occurs after receiving a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 during thepublic health emergency;

The member’s regular or assigned duties required the member to interact, and the member so interacted, with the public or to directly supervise other personnel so interacting with the public on any date during the public health emergency and within 14 calendar daysprior to the appearance of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that were confirmed in writing by a licensed health care provider on a form approved by the board of trustees and also confirmed by a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2;

 Eligibility for consideration for these benefits is retroactive to March 9, 2020.

IA Files Must Be Reviewed By Prospective Department

The Governor also signed legislation to require local governments to transfer the Internal Affairs files for law enforcement officers who seek employment with a different law enforcement agency.  The practice is already required by a new Attorney General rule.  And the files must remain confidential under the new law.

Governor Signs NJEA Health Care Reform

Finally, the Governor signed the NJEA health care reform proposal.  Our belief based on a review of the bill is that it would not benefit State PBA members or do away with the costs associated with their Chapter 78 contributions. In fact, this proposal could reduce benefits and still remain as costly for many State PBA members if applied to law enforcement. However, the Senate President has been steadfast in his commitment to work with the State PBA on our proposals for reducing the cost of health care while providing us Chapter 78 relief.

Pension Seminars scheduled for April 2, 2020 at the Morris County Police Academy and April 22, 2020 at the Ewing Police Department are canceled.  Both seminars will be rescheduled to a later date.