This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) to help former service members with specific discharge statuses - such as "other than honorable," "bad conduct," or "dishonorable" - who have been diagnosed with a service-connected mental health condition. The DMVA must provide no-fee assistance with federal forms to petition for a discharge redesignation to "honorable," create uniform processes, and keep all information confidential. If successful, these individuals gain the same state rights, privileges, and benefits as those honorably discharged. The bill expands existing DMVA support (previously limited to cases tied to sexual orientation or gender identity) to include mental health-related discharges, defined as conditions linked to military service per medical standards.
This bill (A2355) requires New Jersey to provide one free certified copy of a birth certificate to military veterans who were born in New Jersey. It directly affects eligible veterans - defined as individuals discharged from U.S. Armed Forces or the American Merchant Marine (WWII) who are eligible for federal benefits - excluding those discharged under dishonorable circumstances. The law specifies that only one free copy is issued per veteran, with all additional copies subject to standard fees. The provision amends existing state law to add this free service specifically for veterans' birth certificates.
This New Jersey bill (A 2803) would expand eligibility for state veteran benefits by updating the legal definition of "veteran" to include service in the Global War on Terror and specific military operations like Lebanon (1982-1987), Grenada (1983), and Panama (1989). It adds these conflicts to existing categories, allowing veterans who served during these periods to qualify for benefits they previously might not have been recognized for. The bill specifically targets veterans who completed minimum service periods (e.g., 90 days active duty for most conflicts) or received service-connected injuries, regardless of the duration. Currently introduced in the Assembly but not yet enacted, it would affect New Jersey veterans of these designated military engagements.
ACR 39 proposes a constitutional amendment to adjust New Jersey veterans' property tax deductions annually based on inflation. It would replace the current fixed $250 deduction (effective through 2025) with a formula that increases the deduction each year according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), starting in 2026. This change would directly affect honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses who qualify for the current deduction, ensuring the benefit keeps pace with inflation without decreasing. The amendment requires voter approval after legislative passage and would apply to both real and personal property taxes.
This bill establishes the New Jersey Veteran Grant Program, providing tuition assistance for veterans attending public colleges and universities in New Jersey. It directly affects veterans who completed at least one year of active military service (including National Guard or Reserves), hold an honorable discharge, reside in New Jersey, and apply for other available grants first. The program covers tuition and mandatory fees for up to 18 credits per semester after other aid is applied, with public institutions required to waive any remaining balance. To qualify, veterans must maintain good academic standing, not be in student loan default, and not receive ROTC scholarships, with grants renewable annually based on continued eligibility.
This bill (A 1911) requires New Jersey counties to separately list spending on veterans' services - such as transportation and employment counseling - in their annual budgets submitted to the Division of Local Government Services. It directly affects county governments, mandating they specify these expenditures instead of grouping them with other services. The key provision is a new budget reporting requirement, ensuring transparency about how funds are allocated to veterans' programs. The bill applies to all county budgets submitted after its effective date, which follows enactment. It does not create new programs or funding but improves accountability in existing budget submissions.
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 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 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 bill expands New Jersey's property tax exemption for veterans with service-connected disabilities. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans who have a permanent service-connected disability, including mental illness (previously excluded), and their surviving partners. The key change adds mental illness as a qualifying condition for a proportional property tax exemption based on the veteran's disability percentage (up to 100%). It also extends eligibility to surviving partners if the veteran developed a service-connected disability after death, allowing them to claim the exemption as if the veteran were still living. The exemption applies to the veteran's or surviving partner's primary residence, in addition to other existing property tax exemptions.
