New Jersey A 4617: Establishes system in which State and local government entities are made aware of certain public safety issues involving medications for certain public employees and applicants.

Bill Text

A4617 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4617 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� DAWN FANTASIA

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

SYNOPSIS

���� Concerns certain workers� compensation supplemental 
benefits and funding method.� 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning workers� compensation and supplementing 
chapter 15 of Title 34 of the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� Beginning on July 1, 
2026, and in each fiscal year thereafter, a person who is an employee, or a 
dependent of the employee, who is receiving weekly benefits pursuant to 
subsection b. of R.S.34:15-12, R.S.34:15-13, or R.S.34:15-95 for a disability 
or death that occurred after December 
 31, 1979, and who is not entitled to receive special adjustment benefits 
pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1980, c.83 (C.34:15-95.4), or the supplemental 
benefits pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2019, c.127 (C.34:15-95.6) or section 1 
of P.L.2021, c.55 (C.34:15-95.8), shall be entitled to receive weekly 
supplemental benefits from the Second Injury Fund during the period in which 
the person is eligible to receive the initially-awarded weekly benefits, 
whenever the amount of the initially-awarded weekly benefits is less than the 
total amount of weekly benefits that would be payable to the persons if that 
total amount included weekly supplemental benefits calculated in the manner 
indicated in subsection b. of this section.� In making the determination of the 
aggregate annual surcharge for the Second Injury Fund to be levied pursuant to 
paragraph (4) of subsection c. of R.S.34:15-94 for calendar year 2026 and each 
subsequent calendar year, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development shall 
exclude the anticipated additional amounts required for payment of supplemental 
benefits pursuant to this section during the fiscal year which begins on July 1 
of the respective calendar year.� The amounts required to fund the weekly 
supplemental benefits that are excluded from the calculation of employer 
assessments shall be sourced from the General Fund.

���� b.��� The base amount of the 
weekly supplemental benefits to be paid pursuant to this section during each 
fiscal year shall be calculated in a manner so that when it is added to the 
workers' compensation weekly benefits initially awarded, the sum of the initial 
award and the base weekly supplemental benefits shall bear the same percentage 
relationship to the maximum workers' compensation benefit rate for the current 
fiscal year that the person's initial weekly benefits bore to the maximum 
workers' compensation benefit rate in effect at the time of the injury or death.� 
The actual amount of the supplemental benefits paid pursuant to this section 
shall be 33 1/3% of the base amount during fiscal year 2027; 66 2/3% of the 
base amount during fiscal year 2028; and 100% of the base amount during fiscal 
year 2029 and thereafter, except that:

���� (1)�� The actual amount of the 
supplemental benefits paid pursuant to this section to any person shall be 
reduced if necessary, and as much as is needed, to ensure that the sum of disability 
benefits provided under the Federal Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance 
Act, the weekly supplemental benefits and the workers' compensation initially 
awarded does not, with respect to any particular case, exceed the amount which 
would cause any reduction pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 424a of the amount of 
disability benefits for which the individual is eligible under the Federal Old 
Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Act;

���� (2)�� The actual amount of the 
supplemental benefits paid pursuant to this section to any individual shall, in 
cases not subject to the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, be 
reduced by an amount equal to the individual�s benefit payable under the 
Federal Old-Age, Survivors� and Disability Insurance Act (except for disability 
benefits paid to that individual under that act and any cost of living 
increases in benefits paid to that individual under that act), Black Lung 
benefits, or the employer�s share of disability pension payments received from 
or on account of an employer;

���� (3)�� A supplemental benefit 
shall not be paid if the actual amount of the benefit to be paid is calculated 
to be less than $5 per week, and

���� (4)�� A supplemental benefit 
shall not be paid to an individual who elects to not receive benefits under the 
Federal Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Act for which the 
individual is eligible.

���� c.���� Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this section, weekly supplemental benefits paid pursuant 
to this section shall not be paid in a manner which in any way changes or 
modifies the provisions of sections 1 or 9 of P.L.1980, c.83 (C.34:15-95.4 and 
34:15-95.5).

���� d.��� An insurance carrier or 
se