Relates to requiring the office for people with developmental disabilities to submit an updated waitlist and placement report to the senate and assembly

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Leroy Comrie

Prohibits MUAs from charging fire protection water to fire districts or departments if the same charges are imposed on MUA customers who are taxpayers, aligning rate design.

REFERRED TO DISABILITIES

Summary — S.4344 (2025)

Status: Introduced May 12, 2025; reported favorably with committee amendments by the Senate Community & Urban Affairs Committee (11/10/2025); referred to Senate Budget & Appropriations. Sponsor(s): Sen. Paul D. Moriarty; Sen. Leroy Comrie. Companion: A5538 (1R) / A3556.

Note: the descriptive line in some metadata (referencing developmental disabilities) appears to be incorrect. The bill text and committee statement address municipal utilities authority charges for fire protection systems.

Purpose / Intent

S.4344 is intended to prevent double-charging for fire protection water service by municipal utilities authorities (MUAs). Specifically, it prohibits an MUA from imposing water service charges on a fire district or fire department for fire protection systems when those same charges are already imposed on the MUA’s customers who are also taxpayers of the fire district (or, for fire departments, taxpayers of the local government unit that funds the department).

Key provisions

Amends Section 21 of P.L.1957, c.183 (C.40:14B-21) to add the prohibition described above.

A municipal authority that sets a rate structure for water supply service and fire protection systems shall not impose water service charges upon:
a fire district designated under N.J.S.40A:14-70, or
a fire department, to the extent that the same water service charges are imposed on the MUA’s customers who are taxpayers of that fire district or the local government unit that finances the fire department.

Committee amendments broadened the prohibition to include fire departments (not just fire districts) and adjusted the bill’s title/synopsis accordingly.

The bill preserves other existing provisions in C.40:14B-21, including:

Requirement that MUAs establish uniform rate structures,
Prohibition on standby fees/charges for fire protection systems to residential customers served by a water service line two inches or less in diameter,
Authority to require dedicated or metered fire service lines, and existing rules on connection/tapping fees.

Effective date: immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

Municipal utilities authorities — will need to align rate structures and billing to avoid prohibited charges.

Fire districts and fire departments — may no longer be billed separately for fire protection systems in certain circumstances.

MUA customers who are taxpayers of a fire district/local government — intended protection against being charged twice for the same fire protection water service.

Local governments and fire service funders — potential budgetary effects if prior MUA charges contributed to fire protection funding.

Potential impact

Prevents duplicate billing for the same fire protection service, reducing out-of-pocket costs for taxpayers who are both ratepayers and district/municipal taxpayers.

Could shift revenue responsibilities: MUAs may need to adjust rate design or seek alternative cost recovery, and fire districts/departments may see changes in how costs are allocated.

Administrative changes required for MUAs to identify overlapping taxpayers and ensure billing compliance.

Bill