NJ S2377

Classifies death of a New Jersey State Police recruit during required pre-service training at the State Police Academy as a line-of-duty death eligible for accidental death benefits under the State Police Retirement System

Establishes a minimum pension of $50,000 for surviving spouses; if no spouse exists, uses $50,000 as the base to calculate benefits for surviving children or parents

Provides 70% of final compensation to surviving children (split equally) if no spouse, or 25% to one surviving parent (40% split between two parents) if no spouse or children

Allows retroactive benefits for families of recruits who died during training prior to enactment, with a 12-month window to file applications after the law takes effect

Addresses gap in current law where recruits are not sworn members until graduation, leaving their survivors ineligible for death benefits