Increases flexibility, clarity, and available tools of certain municipal consolidation processes.

S 4708 would amend New Jersey's municipal consolidation laws to increase flexibility and clarity in the process. The bill allows for consolidation of non-contiguous municipalities within the same county if they're within a reasonable distance, permits municipalities to develop their own property assessment equalization process (with approval from the Director of Taxation), and requires voter approval in each municipality for any consolidation. It also clarifies the process for creating Municipal Consolidation Study Commissions, requires these commissions to address implementation issues like property tax impact, and provides protections for law enforcement officers and firefighters during consolidation. This bill would directly affect municipalities seeking to consolidate, particularly those in rural or sparsely populated areas.