Bill Text: NJ A2344 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits granting residency credit points to candidates taking certain municipal police and fire promotional examinations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-06 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A2344 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A2344-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Permits granting residency credit points to candidates taking certain municipal police and fire promotional examinations.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning residency, promotional examinations for certain municipal police and fire departments, supplementing Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes and amending P.L.1972, c.3.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) A municipality which has adopted the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes and which is coextensive with a school district that received education opportunity aid or preschool expansion aid in the 2007-2008 school year may, by ordinance, provide that a candidate to fill a vacancy by promotion in the police department or the fire department of that municipality who is a resident of the employer municipality and who achieves a passing grade on the competitive test to fill the vacancy pursuant to N.J.S.11A:4-14, shall have five points added to the candidate's test score as a residency value. A candidate's final test score shall be the sum of the candidate's actual score and residency value. An ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall apply only to eligible lists compiled on or after the date of final approval of the ordinance.
2. Section 14 of P.L.1972, c.3 (C.40A:14-122.4) is amended to read as follows:
14. In any municipality wherein Title 11 (Civil Service) of the Revised Statutes is operative, promotions to positions on the police department and force shall be based upon merit as determined by suitable promotion tests for such positions, provided however that a resident shall be appointed rather than a nonresident thereof in any instance in which the resident and nonresident achieved the same final average score in such test. A resident's final average score shall include any residency value accorded pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The preference granted by this section shall in no way diminish, reduce or affect the preferences granted to veterans pursuant to chapter 27 of Title 11 of the Revised Statutes or any other provision of law.
(cf: P.L.1972, c.3, s.14)
3. Section 4 of P.L.1972, c.3 (C.40A:14-9.4) is amended to read as follows:
4. In any municipality wherein Title [11 (Civil Service)] 11A of the [Revised] New Jersey Statutes is operative, promotions to positions on the paid or part-paid fire department and force shall be based upon merit as determined by suitable promotion tests for such positions, provided however that a resident shall be appointed rather than a nonresident thereof in any instance in which the resident and nonresident achieved the same final average score in such test. A resident's final average score shall include any residency value accorded pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The preference granted by this section shall in no way diminish, reduce or affect the preferences granted to veterans pursuant to chapter 27 of Title 11 of the Revised Statutes or any other provision of law.
(cf: P.L.1972, c.3, s.4)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit a municipality that is coextensive with a school district that received education opportunity aid or preschool expansion aid in the 2007-2008 school year and that is operating under Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes (Civil Service) to adopt an ordinance to give resident candidates for promotions within its police department or its fire department special credit. Under the bill's provisions, a resident candidate who attains a passing score on the competitive test for promotion within the police or fire department would be given a bonus of five points to be added, as a "residency value," to his test score.
The bill would not adversely affect the standing of a candidate on an eligible list in effect on the date the municipality adopts an ordinance allowing for a residency preference.
