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Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Joan M. Quigley (D-Hudson) to expedite the payment of accidental pension death benefits for the families of fallen police and firefighters was approved Monday by an Assembly committee.
The bill stems from the nearly three-month-wait endured by the widow of Jersey City police officer Marc Anthony DiNardo, who was killed after being shot in July in a fierce gun battle. She had to confront bureaucratic red tape before receiving her late husband's pension benefits.
"To have seen this family get caught in a bureaucratic mess was outrageous," Quigley said. "This can't go on and it has to be fixed. It was unacceptable and must not happen again. This bill would ensure it doesn't."
The bill, A-4300, would provide that the accidental pension death benefits for police and firefighters be paid upon the filing of a certified death certificate and all properly completed claim forms with the state Division of Pension and Benefits.If the Police and Firemen's Retirement System board of trustees determines that the accidental pension death benefit is not payable, the payment would cease and the beneficiary who received the payment would be required to repay within 90 days.
"This benefit is provided to our bravest police and firefighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect us," Quigley said. "The heartbroken families they leave behind should not have to face added grief because of state bureaucracy. They need to spend their time and energy focused on themselves, especially if children are involved, not fighting red tape."
The bill was released by the State Government Committee and sent to the full Assembly where it is expected to win approval by the end of the year.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
