New Jersey A 2582: Revises membership of New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling.

Bill Text

A2582 

ASSEMBLY, No. 2582 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman CARMEN THERESA MORALES

District 34 (Essex)

SYNOPSIS

���� Directs public utilities and pipeline operators to 
reimburse municipalities for certain emergency services.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act concerning public utilities and pipeline 
operators and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� As used in sections 1 
and 2 of P.L. ���, c.��� (C.����� ) (pending before the Legislature as this 
bill):

���� �Emergency� means any 
circumstance caused by a person or event, except any natural disaster, which 
includes, but is not limited to, fire, flood, earthquake, or storm, resulting 
in the escape of a conveyed commodity from a pipeline that constitutes a clear 
and present danger to life, health, or property.

���� �Emergency services� means the 
provision of services by municipal law enforcement, firefighting, paramedic, 
and medical personnel, including volunteer personnel, provided by a municipal 
authority to ensure the health or safety of a person or property during an 
emergency.

���� �Pipeline� means any privately 
owned pipeline, above or below ground, placed on a right-of-way, easement, 
public street, other public place, or private property that is being used or 
will be used for the conveyance of a commodity distributed by a public utility.

���� �Public utility� means a 
public utility as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13.

���� 2.��� a.� Notwithstanding any 
law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a public utility shall reimburse a 
municipality for all actual and related costs a municipality incurs in 
providing emergency services to respond to any emergency involving a pipeline 
conveying a commodity distributed by the public utility in the public utility�s 
service area.� With the exception of volunteer personnel, a public utility 
shall reimburse a municipality for the cost of emergency services equal to the 
hourly wages of the emergency services personnel.� A public utility shall 
reimburse a municipality for the cost of emergency services by any volunteer at 
a rate equal to that of volunteer services under any applicable assistance 
program administered by the federal government.� A public utility�s 
reimbursement to a municipality for emergency services shall not be recoverable 
from ratepayers.

���� b.��� In a civil action 
brought against a public utility to recover financial losses sustained during 
an emergency, the court, in its discretion, may award reasonable attorneys� 
fees and costs of suit incurred by a plaintiff recovering judgment.� A public 
utility�s payment of reasonable attorneys� fees and costs of suit shall not be 
recoverable from ratepayers.

���� c.���� The provisions of this 
section shall only apply to public utilities under the jurisdiction or control 
of the Board of Public Utilities.

���� 3.��� As used in sections 3 
and 4 of P.L. �����, c.��� (C.����� ) (pending before the Legislature as this 
bill):

���� �Emergency� means any 
circumstance caused by a person or event, except any natural disaster, which 
includes, but is not limited to, fire, flood, earthquake, or storm, resulting 
in the escape of a conveyed commodity from an underground facility that constitutes 
a clear and present danger to life, health, or property.

���� �Emergency services� means the 
provision of services by municipal law enforcement, firefighting, paramedic, 
and medical personnel, including volunteer personnel, provided by a municipal 
authority to ensure the health or safety of a person or property during an 
emergency.

���� �Operator� means a privately 
owned company, association, or corporation owning or controlling the operation 
of a pipeline, but shall not include a homeowner who owns only residential 
pipelines.

���� �Pipeline� means any privately 
owned pipeline, above or below ground, placed on a right-of-way, easement, 
public street, other public place, or private property that is being used or 
will be used for the conveyance of water, sewage, telecommunications, cable 
television, electricity, oil, petroleum products, gas, optical signals, traffic 
control, or for the transportation of hazardous liquid regulated pursuant to 
the �Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Act of 1979� (49 U.S.C.app. s.2001 et 
seq.).

���� 4.��� a.� Notwithstanding any 
law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, an operator shall reimburse a 
municipality for all actual and related costs a municipality incurs in 
providing emergency services to respond to any emergency involving a pipeline 
managed by the operator.� With the exception of volunteer personnel, an 
operator shall reimburse a municipality for the cost of emergency services 
equal to the hourly wages o