S 2781 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Includes minimum number of firefighting personnel for public employer as term and condition of employment for purpose of collective bargaining under certain circumstances; provides for dispute resolution procedure.

This bill requires that the minimum number of firefighters assigned to each fire vehicle (such as fire engines) be included as a mandatory term in collective bargaining agreements for New Jersey fire departments. The staffing levels must be based on safety considerations for both firefighters and the public. Public employers and firefighter unions must negotiate these minimum staffing requirements as part of their agreements. This change ensures safety-related staffing decisions are directly addressed through the bargaining process.

Issues: ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Feb 5, 2026

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What changed between versions

Technical Review Of Prefiled Bill → Introduced · 3 edits · Jan 13, 2026

MINOR

These are procedural and technical changes marking the bill's transition from Senate Labor Committee report (with technical review) to formal introduction in the Senate. The only textual edit to the operative language is the removal of a placeholder chapter number citation '(C. )' that had not yet been assigned. A standard descriptive STATEMENT section was appended summarizing the bill's provisions regarding firefighter staffing levels in contract negotiations.

TECHNICAL

Removed the placeholder '(C. )' from the cross-reference to this pending bill in section h, since no chapter number has been assigned yet.

Added a STATEMENT section at the end of the bill providing a plain-language summary of its provisions on firefighter and fire officer staffing levels as mandatory subjects of negotiation, dispute resolution procedures, and the preponderance-of-evidence burden of proof.

Changed the bill's procedural status from 'As reported by the Senate Labor Committee with technical review' to 'Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.'

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Committee

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors