Directs distribution of 9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund Account to county 9-1-1 emergency response systems.

S4358

SENATE, No. 4358

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� DOUGLAS J. STEINHARDT

District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs distribution of 9-1-1 System and Emergency
Response Trust Fund Account to county 9-1-1 emergency response systems.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning the �9-1-1 System and Emergency Response
Trust Fund Account� and amending P.L.2004, c.48.

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

���� 1.��� Section 3 of P.L.2004, c.48
(C.52:17C-19) is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.��� a. There is established
in the Department of the Treasury within the General Fund a special account to
be known as the "9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund
Account."

���� b.��� Funds credited to the
"9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund Account" shall be
annually appropriated
and distributed equally to each county for the
operation, maintenance, and upgrade of the 9-1-1 emergency system

[
for the
purposes of paying
]

, which may include payment of
:

���� (1) eligible costs pursuant to
the provisions of sections 13 and 14 of P.L.1989, c.3 (C.52:17C-13 and
52:17C-14);

���� (2)
[
the costs of funding the State's
capital equipment (including debt service), facilities and operating expenses
that arise from emergency response;
]

(Deleted by amendment, PL.��� , c.� ���) (pending before the Legislature as
this bill)

���� (3)
[
the cost of emergency response
training, including any related costs or expenses of the Office of Emergency
Management in the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public
Safety;
]

(Deleted by amendment, PL.��� , c.� ���) (pending before the Legislature as
this bill)

���� (4)
[
the cost of operating the Office
of Emergency Telecommunications Services created pursuant to section 3 of
P.L.1989, c.3 (C.52:17C-3);
]

(Deleted by amendment, PL.��� , c.� ���) (pending before the Legislature as
this bill)

���� (5)
[
the cost of operating the
Statewide Public Safety Communications Commission created pursuant to section 5
of P.L.2011, c.4 (C.52:17C-3.2);
]

(Deleted by amendment, PL. , c. ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill)

���� (6)
[
any costs associated with
implementing any requirement of the Federal Communications Commission
concerning 9-1-1 service that is not otherwise allocated to a carrier and not
eligible for reimbursement under law or regulation;
]

(Deleted by amendment, PL.���
, c.� ���) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)

���� (7)
[
any costs associated with
planning, designing or implementing an automatic location identification
technology that is not otherwise allocated to a wireless carrier and not
eligible for reimbursement under law or regulation; and
]

(Deleted
by amendment, PL.��� , c.� ���) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)

���� (8)
[
any costs associated with
planning, designing or acquiring replacement equipment or systems (including
debt service) related to the enhanced 9-1-1 network as defined by subsection e.
of section 1 of P.L.1989, c.3 (C.52:17C-1).
]

(Deleted by amendment, PL.��� , c.� ���) (pending before the Legislature as
this bill)

(cf: P.L.2013, c.245, s.1)

���� 2. �This act shall take effect
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill equally redirects
all funds from the "9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund
Account" to each county for the operation, maintenance, and upgrade of the
9-1-1 emergency system.

���� Current law provides that
funds in the trust fund account may be used for the following purposes:

���� (1) the costs incurred in the
initial installation of the Statewide enhanced 9-1-1 network and for the costs
incurred by a county for the employment of a county 9-1-1 coordinator, in an
amount not to exceed $25,000 per county 9-1-1 coordinator, as well as the
installation, operation, and maintenance costs required to provide wireless
enhanced 9-1-1 services;

���� (2) the costs of funding the
State's capital equipment (including debt service), facilities, and operating
expenses that arise from emergency response;

���� (3) the cost of emergency
response training, including any related costs or expenses of the State Office
of Emergency Management in the Division of State Police in the Department of
Law and Public Safety;

���� (4) the cost of operating the
Office of Emergency Telecommunications Services in the Office of Information
Technology in the Department of the Treasury;

���� (5) the cost of operating the
Statewide Public Safety Communications Commission in the Office of Information
Technology in the Department of the Treasury;

���� (6) any costs associated with
implementing any requirement of the Federal Communications Commission
concerning 9-1-1 service that is not otherwise allocated to a carrier and not
eligible for reimbursement under law or regulation;

���� (7) any costs associated with
planning, designing, or implementing an automatic location identification
technology that is not otherwise allocated to a wireless carrier and not
eligible for reimbursement under law or regulation; and

���� (8) any costs associated with
planning, designing, or acquiring replacement equipment or systems (including
debt service) related to the enhanced 9-1-1 network.

���� The "9-1-1 System and
Emergency Response Trust Fund Account" was established in 2004 through a 90-cent
monthly surcharge on telephone lines with the intention to upgrade and maintain
the State�s emergency response infrastructure. �This bill will create a fair
distribution system that gives counties direct access to the funds needed to
maintain critical emergency communications infrastructure.