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A1787
ASSEMBLY, No. 1787
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson
SYNOPSIS
���� Extends from six to 12 months compensation program
for injured law enforcement officers and other employees; revises type of
injury needed to qualify for program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning injured law enforcement officers and
certain other employees and amending P.L.2017, c.93.�
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.2017,
c.93 (C.34:15-37.1) is amended to read as follows:
���� 1.��� Any State
[
corrections
]
correctional
police
officer, juvenile corrections officer, or juvenile detention officer
who, in the course of performing the officer's official duties, suffers
[
serious
]
bodily injury
as the direct result of an assault by the inmates or detainees under the
officer's custody or charge shall continue to receive full wages for up to
[
six
]
12
months or until the officer begins receiving compensation for that injury under
R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.
���� In addition to the
compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., the injured officer shall
receive regular supplemental payments from the officer's employer in an amount
that is sufficient, when added to the compensation received under R.S.34:15-1
et seq., to equal the net wage of the injured officer at the time of the
injury.� The supplemental payments authorized under this section shall continue
for up to
[
six
]
12
months so long as the injured officer remains a State corrections officer,
juvenile corrections officer, or juvenile detention officer and continues to be
compensated under R.S.34:15-1 et seq.
���� The fringe benefits afforded
an injured officer under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement,
contract, or statute shall not be negated or impaired in any way and shall
remain in full force and effect during the time that officer is receiving supplemental
payments pursuant to this section.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.93, s.1)�
���� 2.��� Section 2 of P.L.2017,
c.93 (C.34:15-37.2) is amended to read as follows
���� 2.��� Any parole officer who,
while in the course of performing the officer's official duties, suffers
[
serious
]
bodily injury
as the direct result of an assault by an adult or juvenile parolee under the
officer's supervision shall continue to receive full wages for up to
[
six
]
12
months or until the parole officer begins receiving compensation for that
injury under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.
���� In addition to the
compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., the injured officer shall
receive regular supplemental payments from the officer's employer in an amount
that is sufficient, when added to the compensation received under R.S.34:15-1
et seq., to equal the net wage of the injured officer at the time of the
injury.� The supplemental payments authorized under this section shall continue
for up to
[
six
]
12
months so long as the injured officer remains a parole officer and continues to
be compensated under R.S.34:15-1 et seq.
���� The fringe benefits afforded
an injured officer under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement,
contract, or statute shall not be negated or impaired in any way and shall
remain in full force and effect during the time that officer is receiving supplemental
payments pursuant to this section.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.93, s.2)�
���� 3.��� Section 3 of P.L.2017,
c.93 (C.34:15-37.3) is amended to read as follows:�
���� 3.��� Any State Human Services
police officer, State conservation police officer, State park police officer,
Palisades Interstate Park officer appointed pursuant to R.S.32:14-21, or
full-time campus police officer appointed by a county college or four-year public
institution of higher education pursuant to P.L.1970, c.211 (C.18A:6-4.2 et
seq.) who, while in the course of performing the officer's official duties,
suffers
[
serious
]
bodily injury
as the direct result of an assault during the arrest or transportation of a
suspect or other person in the officer's custody shall continue to receive full
wages for up to
[
six
]
12
months or until the officer begins receiving compensation for that injury under
R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.
���� Any senior, recruit, or
assistant supervising medical security officer working under the authority of
the Department of Human Services who, in the course of performing the officer's
official duties, suffers serious bodily injury as the direct result of an
assault by a patient or resident who requires medical security shall continue
to receive full wages for up to
[
six
]
12
months or until the officer begins receiving compensation for that injury under
R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.
���� In addition to the
compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., the injured officer shall
receive regular supplemental payments from the officer's employer in an amount
that is sufficient, when added to the compensation received under R.S.34:15-1
et seq., to equal the net wage of the injured officer at the time of the
injury.� The supplemental payments authorized under this section shall continue
for up to
[
six
]
12
months so long as the injured officer remains a State Human Services police
officer, State conservation police officer, State park police officer,
Palisades Interstate Park officer, campus police officer, or medical security
officer and continues to be compensated under R.S.34:15-1 et seq.
���� The fringe benefits afforded
an injured officer under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement,
contract, or statute shall not be negated or impaired in any way and shall
remain in full force and effect during the time that officer is receiving supplemental
payments pursuant to this section.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.407, s.17)�
���� 4.��� Section 4 of P.L.2017,
c.93 (C.34:15-37.4) is amended to read as follows:�
���� 4.��� Any civilian employee
who directly works with or teaches inmates or detainees in a State correctional
facility, juvenile correctional facility, or juvenile detention center who, in
the course of performing the employee's official duties, suffers
[
serious
]
bodily injury
as the direct result of an assault by the inmates or detainees with whom the
employee works or teaches shall continue to receive full wages for up to
[
six
]
12
months or until the employee begins receiving compensation for that injury
under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.
���� In addition to the
compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., the injured employee shall
receive regular supplemental payments from the employer in an amount that is
sufficient, when added to the compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq.,
to equal the net wage of the injured employee at the time of the injury. The
supplemental payments authorized under this section shall continue for up to
[
six
]
12
months so long as the injured employee remains employed by the State
correctional facility, juvenile correctional facility, or juvenile detention
center and continues to be compensated under R.S.34:15-1 et seq.
���� The fringe benefits afforded
an injured employee under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement,
contract, or statute shall not be negated or impaired in any way and shall
remain in full force and effect during the time that employee is receiving supplemental
payments pursuant to this section.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.93, s.4)
���� 5.��� Section 5 of P.L.2017,
c.93 (C.34:15-37.5) is amended to read as follows:�
���� 5.��� Any probation officer
who, while in the course of performing the officer's official duties, suffers
[
serious
]
bodily injury
as the direct result of an assault by a person placed on probation who is under
the officer's supervision shall continue to receive full wages for up to
[
six
]
12
months or until the probation officer begins receiving compensation for that
injury under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., whichever comes first.
���� In addition to the
compensation received under R.S.34:15-1 et seq., the injured officer shall
receive regular supplemental payments from the officer's employer in an amount
that is sufficient, when added to the compensation received under R.S.34:15-1
et seq., to equal the net wage of the injured officer at the time of the
injury.� The supplemental payments authorized under this section shall continue
for up to
[
six
]
12
months so long as the injured officer remains a probation officer and continues
to be compensated under R.S.34:15-1 et seq.
���� The fringe benefits afforded
an injured officer under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement,
contract, or statute shall not be negated or impaired in any way and shall
remain in full force and effect during the time that officer is receiving supplemental
payments pursuant to this section.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.93, s.5)�
���� 6.��� Section 6 of P.L.2017,
c.93 (C.34:15-37.6) is amended to read as follows:���
���� 6.��� As used in P.L.2017,
c.93 (C.34:15-37.1 et seq.), "
[
serious
]
bodily
injury" means
[
bodily
injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious,
permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of
any bodily member or organ
]
physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition
.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.93, s.6)�
���� 7.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.�
STATEMENT
���� This bill extends from six to
12 months a compensation program for law enforcement officers and certain
civilian employees who suffer an injury as direct result of an assault by the
inmates, detainees, or certain other individuals under their custody, care, or
supervision.� In addition, the bill revises the standard required to qualify
for the compensation program from �serious bodily injury� to �bodily injury.��
���� P.L.2017, c.93 (C.34:15-37.1
et seq.) established a compensation program for State correctional police officers,
juvenile corrections officers, juvenile detention officers, State conservation
officers, State park police officers, State Human Services police officers,
probation officers, and civilian employees who suffer serious bodily injury as
the result of a riot or assault by the inmates or detainees under their custody
and care. The program also is available to parole officers who suffer serious bodily
injury as the result of an assault committed by an adult or juvenile parolee
under their supervision. Under the program, injured officers and employees are entitled
to their full salary from their employer for up to six months or until the
start of their workers� compensation payments, whichever occurs first. Once
their workers� compensation payments begin, the injured officers and employees are
entitled to regular supplemental payments from their employer for up to six
months.� �
���� Under the bill, injured
officers and employees would be entitled to their full salary from their
employer for up to 12 months or until workers� compensation payments begin. An
injured officer or employee would then receive supplemental payments for 12
months. The bill also revises the legal standard necessary to receive
compensation payments from
serious bodily
injury to bodily injury.� Under current law, serious bodily injury is defined
as �bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes
serious, permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the
function of any bodily member or organ.� Bodily injury is defined as �physical
pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition.�
�