---
type: "Bill"
title: "Prohibits termination of law enforcement officer or firefighter based upon determination that officer or firefighter is physically unable to perform duty under certain circumstances.*"
description: "Prohibits termination of law enforcement officer or firefighter based upon determination that officer or firefighter is physically unable to perform duty under certain circumstances.*"
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "217"
identifier: "S 879"
citation: "New Jersey S 879 (217)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["POLICE"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bateman, Christopher", "Benson, Daniel R.", "Greenstein, Linda R.", "Sumter, Shavonda E."]
version_count: 2
action_count: 11
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2016-01-12T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2017-02-06T05:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/a77e441a-1db5-4e03-aecb-4524716bb6ea"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "875b5bbfba4c0fbf61859833dfcb3c6501d67d7c33d6b04175b1e54ad2704194"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey S 879 (217) — Prohibits termination of law enforcement officer or firefighter based upon determination that officer or firefighter is physically unable to perform duty under certain circumstances.*

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S1000/879_I1.HTM)
2. **Reprint** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S1000/879_R1.HTM)

## Votes

- Reported out of Assembly committee with amendments — **8–0** (pass) · legislature
- AMEND — **28–0** (pass) · legislature
- CONCUR ASMB AMEND — **35–0** (pass) · legislature
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **37–0** (pass) · legislature
- Reported favorably out of committee — **4–0** (pass) · legislature
- 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE — **77–0** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Bateman, Christopher — primary (person)
- Benson, Daniel R. — primary (person)
- Greenstein, Linda R. — primary (person)
- Sumter, Shavonda E. — primary (person)
- Downey, Joann — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2016-01-12T05:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2016-03-07T05:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2016-03-14T04:00:00+00:00** Senate Amendment (28-0) (Greenstein) `amendment-passage`
- **2016-05-26T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (37-0) `passage`
- **2016-05-26T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee `referral-committee`
- **2016-12-05T05:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2016-12-19T05:00:00+00:00** Substituted for A4237 (1R)
- **2016-12-19T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (77-0-0) `passage`
- **2016-12-19T05:00:00+00:00** Received in the Senate, 2nd Reading on Concurrence
- **2016-12-19T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (35-0) `passage`
- **2017-02-06T05:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2017, c.3. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/a77e441a-1db5-4e03-aecb-4524716bb6ea`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).