TRENTON – In an effort to provide legal clarity surrounding a municipality’s ability to include volunteer firefighters and emergency responders under small employer health benefits plans, the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Troy Singleton that would include volunteer firefighters and emergency responders under the definition of “eligible employees”.
“This legislation will fix a discrepancy in current law that leaves ambiguity as to whether or not a municipality can include volunteer emergency responders under health benefits plans,” said Senator Singleton, Chair of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (D-Burlington). “Volunteer firefighters and EMTs serve a critical role in our communities, especially in towns that cannot afford private services, and ensuring their access to health benefits is the least we can do to acknowledge their service.”
The bill, S-1388, would amend current law to provide clarity ensuring municipalities are able to include volunteer emergency responders under their small employer health benefits plans. Current law provides that municipalities are permitted to do so, but does not include these volunteers under the definition of “eligible employees”, thus creating unintended ambiguity and confusion. The legislation seeks to resolve this issue by including volunteer firefighters and emergency responders under the definition of “eligible employees”.
The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee advanced the bill in a unanimous vote.
