Senate Committee Approves COLA for Public Safety Officers

A bill that would provide cost-of-living adjustments for public safety workers' permanent disability and death claims has passed a second state Senate committee and is on its way to the floor. Republican Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar bill in 2015, and another one died in committee in 2009. But with a Democratic majority in both houses, and Democrat Phil Murphy now in the governor’s mansion, sponsors and worker advocates hope it will survive this year.  A COLA is needed for most workers' benefits in New Jersey, advocates said, but Senate Bill 1967 specifies infl...