40A:14-132. Hours of service for uniformed members and officers; referendum

The hours of employment of the uniformed members and officers of the police department and force in any municipality shall not exceed 8 continuous hours in any one day nor more than 40 hours in any one week. No such member or officer shall be required to perform any police duty which would involve more time than herein specified except in cases of emergency.

The provisions herein shall be inoperative unless and until adopted by ordinance of the governing body of the municipality and, if the ordinance so provides, this section shall remain inoperative until approved by a majority of legal voters of the municipality voting thereon at an election held at the next general election. Such an election shall be held when so directed but such direction shall not be made unless so made at least 40 days preceding such next general election.

Upon the filing with the governing body of the municipality a petition for the submission of the question signed by at least 20% of the legal voters of the municipality, the governing body shall adopt an ordinance with a provision that it shall be inoperative until approved by a majority of legal voters of the municipality voting thereon in the same manner as in the case of the adoption of such an ordinance and providing for such submission where no such petition is submitted.

The adoption thereof when submitted shall be in the form of a question to the legal voters of the municipality in the manner prescribed by law, in substantially the following form on the ballot: "Shall the 8-hour day and 40-hour week plan for the municipal policemen be adopted?" The ballot shall contain 2 squares to the left of the question, one with the word "Yes" , the other with the word "No" , respectively, to the right of the squares. The ballot shall contain instructions to the voters to vote by marking a cross ( x ), or plus (+) or check mark ( X ) in the appropriate square according to their choice. If voting machines are used the word "Yes" or "No" shall be equivalent to such markings, respectively. If a majority of the legal voters voting on such question at said election vote in favor of the adoption, the plan shall become operative in the municipality in which it was adopted to the extent thereof.

L.1971, c. 197, s. 1, eff. July 1, 1971.