SPRINGFIELD, NJ – The Township Committee introduced an ordinance at its Nov. 13 meeting that would require businesses in town to be registered to show proof of insurance.

The new business insurance registry is something that New Jersey now requires of all towns.

“This is something that was brought around about two years ago when the new statute was enacted. This is a requirement of all municipalities in the state of New Jersey,” Kraig Dowd, Springfield’s township attorney said. “We don’t have any choice but to do this. It is required for-profit entities to provide proof that they’re insured at a certain level on an annual basis. There’s a fee for it. There’s an annual renewal. January 15 is the deadline for registering. The law is already in effect, but this (ordinance) codifies it within the township.”

Dowd said that the annual fee covers the efforts of the clerk’s office to manage the registry.