New Jersey S 3714: "Justice for Firefighter Patrick Thomas Act"; requires person convicted of certain crimes or offenses to become ineligible for appointment to position covered by Civil Service and to lose pension and benefits acquired through position.

Bill Text

S3714 

SENATE, No. 3714 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED MARCH 2, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� BRITNEE N. TIMBERLAKE

District 34 (Essex)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� �Justice for Firefighter Patrick Thomas Act�; 
requires person convicted of certain crimes or offenses to become ineligible 
for appointment to position covered by Civil Service and to lose pension and 
benefits acquired through such position. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning civil service appointment eligibility and 
pension forfeiture for certain individuals, amending P.L.2007, c.49, and supplementing Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes.

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

���� 1.� (New section)� This act 
shall be known and may be cited as the �Justice for Firefighter Patrick Thomas 
Act.�

���� 2 (New section) a.� 
Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a person who is convicted 
of, or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, any crime or offense set forth in 
subsection b. of this section shall not be eligible for appointment to a 
position covered by Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New Jersey Statutes.� Any 
person holding a position covered by Title 11A, Civil Service, of the New 
Jersey Statutes, who is convicted of, or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, a 
crime or offense set forth in subsection b. of this section, on or after the 
effective date of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature 
as this bill), shall be immediately terminated, and deemed not eligible for 
appointment to such current or future position covered by Title 11A, Civil 
Service, of the New Jersey Statutes.

���� b.� Subsection a. of this 
section applies to a conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, 
any of the following crimes or offenses:

���� (1)�� any offense related to, 
involving, or concerned with discrimination, bias, including but not limited to 
racial bias, or domestic violence, as determined by the Chairperson of the 
Civil Service Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General, on or 
after the effective date of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill);

���� (2)�� a bias crime or domestic 
violence offense arising under Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes;

���� (3)�� Paragraph (4) of 
subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:13-5, criminal coercion;

���� (4)�� N.J.S.2C:20-4, theft by 
deception, if the amount involved exceeds $10,000;

���� (5)�� Subsection d. of 
N.J.S.2C:20-5, theft by extortion;

���� (6)�� N.J.S.2C:20-9, theft by 
failure to make required disposition of property received, if the amount 
involved exceeds $10,000; 

���� (7)�� N.J.S.2C:21-10, 
commercial bribery;

���� (8)�� Section 3 of P.L.1994, 
c.121 (C.2C:21-25), money laundering;

���� (9)�� Section 97 of P.L.1999, 
c.440 (C.2C:21-34), false contract payment claims;

���� (10) N.J.S.2C:27-2, bribery in 
official matters;

���� (11) N.J.S.2C:27-3, threats 
and other improper influence in official and political matters;

���� (12) Section 100 of P.L.1999, 
c.440 (C.2C:27-9), unlawful official business transaction where interest is 
involved;

���� (13) Section 5 of P.L.2003, 
c.255 (C.2C:27-10), acceptance or receipt of unlawful benefit by public servant 
for official behavior;

���� (14) Section 6 of P.L.2003, 
c.255 (C.2C:27-11), offer of unlawful benefit to public servant for official 
behavior;

���� (15) N.J.S.2C:28-1, perjury;

���� (16) N.J.S.2C:28-5, tampering 
with witnesses;

���� (17) N.J.S.2C:28-7, tampering 
with public records or information;

���� (18) N.J.S.2C:29-4, 
compounding;

���� (19) N.J.S.2C:30-2, official 
misconduct;

���� (20) N.J.S.2C:30-3, 
speculating or wagering on official action or information;

���� (21) Section 3 of P.L.2003, 
c.31 (C.2C:30-7), pattern of official misconduct;

���� (22) Paragraph (1) of 
subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.2007, c.158 (C.2C:27-12), corruption of 
public resources, if the amount or value of the public resource is $500,000 or 
more;

���� (23) N.J.S.2C:14-2, sexual 
assault;

���� (24) N.J.S.2C:14-3, sexual 
contact;

���� (25) N.J.S.2C:14-4, lewdness;

���� (26) any crime described in 
N.J.S.2C:12-1; or

���� (27) any crime described in N.J.S.2C:24-4.

���� c.� The Chairperson of the 
Civil Service Commission shall, in consultation with the Attorney General and 
in accordance with the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 
(C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement 
this act.

���� 3. (New section) a.� A court 
of this State shall enter an order of employment termination pursuant to this 
section:

���� (1)�� Immediately upon a 
finding of guilt by the trier of fact or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere entered 
in any court of this State unless the court, for good cause shown, orders a 
stay of the employment termination pending a