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S 4590

Relates to establishing the New York state grid modernization commission

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Kevin Parker

Requires employers to provide up to 12 hours (expandable to 36) of paid confidential counseling for first responders after qualifying incidents, with private peer support kept conf

REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 4590

Summary — S-4590 (New Jersey) — First Responder Counseling Coverage and Confidentiality

Note: The bill number and status provided correspond to this New Jersey measure. Although an alternate title referencing New York grid modernization was included in the prompt, the official text and fiscal documents describe a New Jersey lawmaking proposal concerning workers’ compensation coverage for counseling services for first responders. This summary reflects the bill text and fiscal analysis.

Main purpose

Require employers to provide workers’ compensation–compensable, paid confidential counseling to first responders who experience a defined “critical incident,” and to protect confidentiality of certain peer/resiliency support communications for law enforcement officers.

Key provisions

  • Coverage and hours

    • Employers must provide up to 12 hours of paid confidential counseling, compensable under the State workers’ compensation law (R.S.34:15-1 et seq.), for a first responder who experiences a qualifying critical incident.
    • If a licensed mental health professional determines additional counseling would likely improve the responder’s condition, the employer must pay for up to an additional 24 hours (total possible: 36 hours).
    • All authorized counseling hours must be completed within one year of the first visit.

  • Provider choice and scope

    • The eligible first responder may select the mental health professional.
    • “Mental health professional” is defined as a licensed clinician (per P.L.1991, c.134 licensing sections) who is culturally competent and specializes in treating first responders related to critical incidents.

  • Definition of “first responder” (as amended)

    • Includes paid 9-1-1 dispatchers, law enforcement officers, paid firefighters, paid EMS responders, and paid members of first aid/ambulance/rescue squads.

  • Definition of “critical incident”

    • Enumerates events such as firing a weapon or exchange of gunfire; serious bodily injury or death of a minor; terrorist acts; hostage situations; serious injury/death of another responder in duty; witnessing death/maiming or immediate aftermath; involvement in investigations concerning violent crimes against minors; rescues where life was in danger; investigations into drowning/near drowning of a minor.

  • Work leave protection

    • Employers may not require use of accrued annual, vacation, personal, sick, or other paid leave when a counseling session occurs during the responder’s scheduled work hours.

  • Confidentiality for peer/resiliency support

    • Communications between a law enforcement officer and a resiliency program officer or peer support team member are confidential and not subject to disclosure except when the officer is reasonably believed to be a risk to self/others or where there is evidence of a crime.

Who is affected

  • Direct: paid 9‑1‑1 dispatchers, law enforcement officers, paid firefighters, paid EMS and paid rescue/ambulance personnel employed by state, county, municipal or other public entities.
  • Indirect: public employer agencies, workers’ compensation insurers and self‑insured public entities, licensed mental health providers.
  • Fiscal: State and local government employers (many self‑insured) and workers’ compensation carriers.

Fiscal and implementation impact

  • The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates an indeterminate annual increase in State and local expenditures and likely increased workers’ compensation claims and premiums.
  • OLS could not quantify costs without data on qualifying incident rates, counseling usage, average wages, and counseling rates. Self‑insured public entities would directly bear much of the cost increase.

Procedural status & timeline

  • Introduced: June 5, 2025 (Senate).
  • Reported out of Senate Committee with amendments (June 26, 2025) — committee expanded the definition of “first responder.”
  • Substituted by A5792 (1R) on June 30, 2025; reported and committed to Finance (status listed).
  • Effective date in bill text: immediately upon enactment.

Sponsor and related measures

  • Primary sponsor: Sen. Kevin S. Parker.
  • Related/companion bills: A-5792, A-982, prior-session S-1694.

Implementation considerations: agencies will need procedures to identify qualifying incidents, approve provider selection, track counseling hours within the one‑year window, and ensure confidentiality protections consistent with the exceptions for safety/criminal evidence.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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