Establishes Office of Veteran Advocate and ombudsman for DMVA; appropriates funds.
This bill establishes an independent Office of the Veteran Advocate within New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), to serve as a dedicated advocate for veterans receiving services from the department. The Veteran Advocate, appointed by the Governor with Senate consent, will investigate complaints about veterans' services, monitor facilities for abuse or neglect, conduct site visits (with proper authorization), and issue subpoenas for investigations. The Advocate will serve as an ombudsman for veterans and their families, make recommendations for improving services, and monitor implementation of corrective actions when systemic issues are identified. The office will submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature, and the bill appropriates funds from the General Fund to support these operations. This new office directly affects veterans receiving services under the DMVA's supervision and ensures their concerns are addressed through a dedicated, independent oversight mechanism.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2024
Committee Review
Jun 2025
General Assembly Passage
Dec 2025
Senate Passage
Dec 2025
Signed into Law
Dec 2025
Introduced Sep 12, 2024
Signed Dec 19, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Jun 30, 2025 · General Assembly Jun 30, 2025
How they voted
39–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 40
Jun 30, 2025
D
Democratic25
100% Yea
R
Republican15
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
14
Key actions
6
Committee
2
Dec 19, 2025
Signed into law
Approved P.L.2025, c.172.
executive
Dec 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (38-0)
upper
Dec 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Assembly (76-0-0)
lower
Nov 13, 2025
Vetoed
Conditional Veto, Received in the Assembly
lower
Jun 30, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (39-0)
upper
Jun 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Assembly (79-0-0)
lower
Jun 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
lower
Dec 12, 2024
Committee
Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
lower
Sep 12, 2024
Introduced
Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee
lower
5 primary · 6 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Cleopatra Tucker
DDemocratic
P
Gordon Johnson
DDemocratic
P
Joe Cryan
DDemocratic
P
Joe Vitale
DDemocratic
P
Julio Marenco
DDemocratic
Co
Angela McKnight
DDemocratic
Co
Carmen Amato
RRepublican
Co
Garnet Hall
DDemocratic
Co
Jim Beach
DDemocratic
Co
Nilsa Cruz-Perez
DDemocratic
Co
Verlina Reynolds-Jackson
DDemocratic
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