Establishes "New Jersey Veterans Assistance Trust."
S 3215 creates the "New Jersey Veterans Assistance Trust" within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to support veterans and their families. The trust is governed by a 14-member board including state agency leaders, veterans' organization representatives, business representatives, and legislative appointees. It can accept donations and grants from federal/state governments, private entities, and the state budget to provide grants or loans to veterans, their families, and approved veteran-support programs. This bill establishes the framework for funding and administering these services but does not specify particular programs or funding levels.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 28, 2026
Last action Feb 19, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced
→
Reprint
·
3 edits
MINOR
The First Reprint of S 3215 makes three substantive changes: it renames the overseeing department from 'Department of Military and Veterans Affairs' to 'Department of Veterans Affairs,' elevates the board chair from the Deputy Commissioner to the full Commissioner (with a designee option), and removes one board seat by eliminating the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, reducing the board from 14 to 13 members.
Scope change
The bill's scope narrows slightly: the overseeing department loses 'Military' from its name, and one government stakeholder (Labor and Workforce Development) is removed from the trust's governing board. The chair role shifts from a deputy-level official to the full commissioner, increasing seniority of oversight.
SCOPE
The department name is changed throughout from 'Department of Military and Veterans Affairs' to 'Department of Veterans Affairs,' suggesting a reorganization or renaming of the state agency.
The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development (or designee) is removed as an ex officio board member, reducing the total board size from 14 to 13 members.
REQUIREMENT
The board chair position is elevated from the Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs to the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, and a designee option is added. This gives the top-level commissioner direct oversight rather than a deputy.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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