Bill Text: NJ S4358 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs distribution of 9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund Account to county 9-1-1 emergency response systems.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-05-28 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S4358 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4358-Introduced.html
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.
