S 4378 New Jersey Senate · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Authorizes local governments to provide voluntary contributions to certain nonprofit veterans' organizations.

S 4378 allows New Jersey counties and municipalities to voluntarily contribute up to $70,000 annually to nonprofit veterans' organizations that are tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(19). These organizations must provide direct support to veterans, including services like housing assistance, mental health care, career transition help, and food security. The bill specifies that contributions must be used for these veteran-focused services and requires audits if total annual contributions to an organization exceed $70,000. It updates existing law that previously permitted higher contributions ($125,000) for emergency services groups.

Sub-Topics: Veteran Housing

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced May 12, 2025 Last action May 12, 2025

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What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Reprint SCU 5/12/25 1R · 5 edits

MODERATE

The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee made several amendments to S4378, which authorizes local governments to make voluntary contributions to emergency services associations and nonprofit veterans organizations. The key substantive changes include adding a new accounting requirement for veterans organizations, narrowing the geographic scope of eligible veteran issues, clarifying that the audit trigger applies only to emergency services associations, and removing a provision about joint purchases under the Consolidated Municipal Services Act.

REQUIREMENT

A new subsection b. requires nonprofit veterans organizations to provide an annual accounting to the governing body and chief financial officer of all funds contributed by the county or municipality, including how those funds were used for programs or resources accessible to veterans within that county or municipality.

The audit trigger language was clarified to specify that the $70,000 threshold applies to contributions to 'a duly incorporated first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad association' rather than just 'an association,' making clear the audit requirement targets emergency services groups specifically.

SCOPE

The list of issues that veterans organization funds may address was narrowed from 'issues concerning' to 'issues of veterans located within the county or municipality, as applicable, concerning,' tying eligible uses to veterans who are actually located in the contributing jurisdiction.

The entire provision (former subsection d.) regarding joint purchases made by two or more local units under the Consolidated Municipal Services Act was deleted, removing guidance on how title to jointly purchased vehicles and equipment would be held.

TECHNICAL

Senator Burgess was added as a co-sponsor of the bill.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

upper

May 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported out of Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading

upper

May 12, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee

upper

2 primary · 1 co-sponsor