The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee has approved legislation sponsored by Senator Carmen F. Amato, Jr. (R-9) that aims to provide tax relief for volunteer first responders.
The measure, known as S-788, proposes to exempt stipends paid to these volunteers from income tax, temporary disability insurance (TDI) tax, and family leave insurance (FLI) tax.
“I want to thank co-prime sponsor Senator Gordon Johnson for working together in a bipartisan manner to support our first responders. The men and women who volunteer as EMS and firefighters give their time and often risk their safety to protect our communities,” said Sen. Amato. “This bill ensures that individuals who step up to serve their community aren’t penalized by unnecessary taxes on the stipends they receive. There’s no reason for the government to take a cut of their stipend for benefits they’ll likely never be able to use.”
According to supporters, the bill is part of broader efforts in New Jersey to recruit more volunteer emergency medical service personnel and firefighters. In the Assembly, Brian E. Rumpf and Gregory E. Myhre (R-9) plan to co-sponsor a similar measure labeled A-1429.
Those interested can access the full text of the bill online.
