This bill establishes a New Jersey Veteran Gravesite Maintenance Grant Program within the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). It provides grants to qualified nonprofit veterans' organizations (specifically 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt groups or federally chartered Veterans' Service Organizations) to help maintain veteran gravesites across the state. The DVA must develop application guidelines, monitor grant usage, require recipient reporting, and annually report program effectiveness to the Governor and Legislature. Funding for the program requires future legislative appropriation.
This New Jersey bill allows public school students to miss class for participating in musical performances at military funerals, including playing "Taps," without the absence counting as unexcused. It directly affects students in public schools who perform at these ceremonies honoring veterans or service members. The law requires schools to record such absences as excused on attendance records, exclude them from perfect attendance calculations, and not list them on transcripts or employment forms. Students must provide documentation to verify their participation, as determined by school administrators.
This bill establishes a $2 million grant program to provide mental health services to New Jersey veterans. It directs the state's Adjutant General to fund qualified veterans organizations (like 501(c)(3) groups or federally chartered veterans service organizations, including specific New Jersey groups) to contract with licensed mental health professionals. The program aims to expand access to mental health care for veterans through these designated community partners. The $2 million appropriation comes directly from the state General Fund and takes effect immediately.
This bill requires dental clinics operated by public university dental schools (like Rutgers) to give priority scheduling to 100% disabled veterans seeking oral health care. It mandates that clinics schedule appointments for these veterans within 30 days of their request, ensuring timely access to treatment. The policy directly affects veterans who are permanently 100% disabled per U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs adjudication and reside in New Jersey. The law applies to all public institution dental clinics participating in extramural networks, with rules to be developed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
This bill authorizes New Jersey to issue special license plates for honorably discharged veterans. To qualify, applicants must provide proof of honorable discharge (like a DD-214 form) and pay a $50 application fee plus a $10 annual fee. The plates must display "Veteran" and the veteran's military branch insignia, designed with input from the Adjutant General. Fees collected fund a dedicated veterans' support account, with initial costs potentially offset by private donations up to $25,000. The program requires annual certification of costs and can be discontinued if fees don't cover expenses for two consecutive years.
This New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 115) urges Congress to pass the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act. Currently, federal law forces surviving spouses of military members who died of service-connected causes to forfeit part or all of their Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity when receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the VA - losing $1 in SBP for every $1 in DIC. The pending federal bill would end this offset for survivors under 60, prevent repayment of previously withheld benefits, and ensure payments to dependent children when no spouse is eligible. It directly affects military survivors whose spouses died on active duty or from service-connected causes, particularly those whose deaths occurred before 2001.
This New Jersey bill makes intentionally damaging or defacing military monuments a serious criminal offense (third-degree crime). It specifically targets monuments erected to honor military personnel or commemorate battles, defining "desecration" as defacing, damaging, or polluting such sites. The law applies directly to individuals who intentionally harm these monuments, with penalties including criminal charges. It clarifies that only monuments with military intent - such as those honoring service members or marking battles - are covered under this provision.
This bill (A 1068) expands eligibility for New Jersey's disabled veterans' property tax exemption to include certain individuals with a close personal relationship to a deceased veteran, beyond just legally married spouses. It adds specific criteria to the definition of "surviving spouse," requiring the person to have shared a residence with the veteran for three consecutive years before death, shared financial responsibilities (like joint ownership or accounts), and not been married to anyone else at the time of the veteran's death. To qualify, applicants must submit an affidavit verifying these conditions and provide supporting documentation. The exemption continues for the qualifying person during their widowhood/widowerhood, while they legally own and occupy the dwelling.
This bill, known as the "BRAVE Act," requires New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) to give contract preference to vendors employing the highest percentage of veterans when awarding goods or service contracts. Vendors competing for DMVA contracts must submit employee veteran data, which the department must verify within 30 days; false claims lead to 5-year contract bans and contract termination. It defines "veteran" broadly to include disabled veterans certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The law directly affects businesses seeking DMVA contracts and aims to incentivize veteran employment through procurement preferences.
This New Jersey joint resolution recognizes the privately awarded Orange Heart Medal, which honors Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange during military service. It does not create new benefits or programs but formally acknowledges these veterans' service and health impacts from Agent Orange exposure. The resolution follows Tennessee's 2019 legislation and aligns with federal efforts to recognize this honor, as the Orange Heart Medal Project has distributed approximately 4,000 medals to veterans or surviving spouses since 2018.
