Opinion ID: 2390138
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The 1993 Appropriations Act

Text: On June 25, 1992, the New Jersey Legislature passed the Appropriations Act. The Act directed that various departments of State government accomplish personnel savings through staff reduction. Specifically, most departmental appropriations contained a proviso that authorized the intra-departmental transfer of funds from the other appropriations made for Salaries and wages in the department to reflect savings throughout the department from the reduction of employees whose annual salaries exceed $50,000. Such savings shall first be made by reduction of employees in the unclassified service. If those reductions in the unclassified service are insufficient, additional reduction of employees shall be made in the classified service. These reductions shall be made among management and administrative personnel and shall, to the maximum extent possible, not affect direct service personnel. If reductions are made of employees in the classified service, the commissioner shall provide written notice and justification of such action to the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee. [S. 1000, § 1 (Department of Banking Appropriations).] Additionally, in a provision applying to all appropriations, the Act stated: 38. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary, no State Troopers, corrections officers or personnel providing services in any institution operated by the State shall be laid off. Whenever possible, layoffs shall exclude those employees of any department who provide direct services and shall also exclude career employees who have occupied the same job title for at least five years or who have ten years of State service. [S. 1000, § 38.] On June 26, 1992, the Governor vetoed the Act, and on June 30, 1992, the Legislature overrode the Governor's veto, and the Appropriations Act became law.