Signed by Governor Phil Murphy

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends and restructures the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs by separating veterans programs and military readiness programs into the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Military Affairs in New Jersey.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Department of Veteran Affairs under the Executive Branch of the State Government (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the Position of Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs and outlines the positions responsibilities (Sec. 4-5).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a financial planning assistance program for disabled veterans and their caregivers (Sec. 7).

• Authorizes the Commissioner to apply for and accept grants for the Department (Sec. 8).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Services to oversee the following (Sec. 9):

• The State veterans memorial homes and cemeteries;

• Liaison and field offices which serve the federal Veterans Affairs Medical Centers;

• Applications for federal grants;

• Federally funded training and rehabilitation programs; and

• Provision of current information regarding state and federal veterans programs and benefits to the public.

• Authorizes the commissioner to determine if an individual meets the criteria to be considered a “Veteran” or “Disabled” (Sec. 10).

• Requires direct care staff members at New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes to be drug tested (Sec. 18).

• Requires the Department of Veteran Affairs to establish a program for the transfer of Veterans remains to the Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Sec. 19).

• Requires funeral directors to grant the right of cremation of veterans to family members who request (Sec. 20).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to administer the following programs (Sec. 21-22):

• The Blind Veterans Allowance Program;

• The Paraplegic and Hemipelegic Allowance Program;

• Maintain liaison with Association of Blind Veterans;

• Provide assistance to Agent Orange Commission;

• The Veterans Loan Authority;

• The State Tuition Assistance Program for Veterans;

• The Vietnam Veterans Outreach Program;

• State Training and Rehabilitation Program; and

• Educational Programs in collaboration with the Department of Education.

• Requires applications to a veterans facility to be made to the commissioner in a manner prescribed by the commissioner (Sec. 24).

• Establishes criteria for who can be admitted to a veterans facility (Sec. 25).

• Prohibits Commissioner from closing Facility that would result in the loss of 100 or more jobs unless in case of emergency (Sec. 32).

• Requires the Commissioner to conduct studies on wellbeing of former residents of State Veterans Memorial Homes (Sec. 33).

• Establishes Advisory Councils for Veterans Memorial Homes (Sec. 34).

• Establishes that monies deposited into a members trust that are unclaimed at a member's death become property of the veterans facility (Sec. 36).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the position of resident advocate at each Veterans Memorial Home (Sec. 42).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to organize and administer a program of voluntary commitments by employers to participate in a plan of veterans preference in private employment and reemployment (Sec. 43).

• Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to review and approve all policies and work programs pertaining to Veterans Services (Sec. 44).

• Establishes standards and guidelines for veterans seeking to attain higher education (Sec. 46).

• Establishes a “New Jersey Homeless Veterans Grant Program” under the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 49).

• Establishes a Commission on Women Veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 52).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to create and maintain a registry of all organizations that provide services to military veterans (Sec. 53).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a program to assist with in-patient and out-patient treatment programs for Veterans (Sec. 56).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to maintain a website with dates and locations of historic battles and war efforts in New Jersey (Sec. 57).

• Establishes a “Gold Star Family Counseling Program” under the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 60).

• Establishes the New Jersey Commission on Veterans Benefits (Sec. 63).

• Requires the New Jersey Commission on Veterans Benefits to develop, maintain, and update a five year strategic plan on veterans benefits (Sec. 64).

• Authorizes all former service members dishonorably discharged due to sexual orientation to change their status to honorable discharge (Sec. 65).

• Authorizes the commissioner to obtain and issue awards to service members approved by the legislature (Sec 66).

• Authorizes the transfer of various preexisting programs to the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 68).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends and restructures the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs by separating veterans programs and military readiness programs into the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Military Affairs in New Jersey.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Department of Veteran Affairs under the Executive Branch of the State Government (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the Position of Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs and outlines the positions responsibilities (Sec. 4-5).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a financial planning assistance program for disabled veterans and their caregivers (Sec. 7).

• Authorizes the Commissioner to apply for and accept grants for the Department (Sec. 8).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Services to oversee the following (Sec. 9):

• The State veterans memorial homes and cemeteries;

• Liaison and field offices which serve the federal Veterans Affairs Medical Centers;

• Applications for federal grants;

• Federally funded training and rehabilitation programs; and

• Provision of current information regarding state and federal veterans programs and benefits to the public.

• Authorizes the commissioner to determine if an individual meets the criteria to be considered a “Veteran” or “Disabled” (Sec. 10).

• Requires direct care staff members at New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes to be drug tested (Sec. 18).

• Requires the Department of Veteran Affairs to establish a program for the transfer of Veterans remains to the Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Sec. 19).

• Requires funeral directors to grant the right of cremation of veterans to family members who request (Sec. 20).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to administer the following programs (Sec. 21-22):

• The Blind Veterans Allowance Program;

• The Paraplegic and Hemipelegic Allowance Program;

• Maintain liaison with Association of Blind Veterans;

• Provide assistance to Agent Orange Commission;

• The Veterans Loan Authority;

• The State Tuition Assistance Program for Veterans;

• The Vietnam Veterans Outreach Program;

• State Training and Rehabilitation Program; and

• Educational Programs in collaboration with the Department of Education.

• Requires applications to a veterans facility to be made to the commissioner in a manner prescribed by the commissioner (Sec. 24).

• Establishes criteria for who can be admitted to a veterans facility (Sec. 25).

• Prohibits Commissioner from closing Facility that would result in the loss of 100 or more jobs unless in case of emergency (Sec. 32).

• Requires the Commissioner to conduct studies on wellbeing of former residents of State Veterans Memorial Homes (Sec. 33).

• Establishes Advisory Councils for Veterans Memorial Homes (Sec. 34).

• Establishes that monies deposited into a members trust that are unclaimed at a member's death become property of the veterans facility (Sec. 36).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the position of resident advocate at each Veterans Memorial Home (Sec. 42).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to organize and administer a program of voluntary commitments by employers to participate in a plan of veterans preference in private employment and reemployment (Sec. 43).

• Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to review and approve all policies and work programs pertaining to Veterans Services (Sec. 44).

• Establishes standards and guidelines for veterans seeking to attain higher education (Sec. 46).

• Establishes a “New Jersey Homeless Veterans Grant Program” under the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 49).

• Establishes a Commission on Women Veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 52).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to create and maintain a registry of all organizations that provide services to military veterans (Sec. 53).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a program to assist with in-patient and out-patient treatment programs for Veterans (Sec. 56).

• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to maintain a website with dates and locations of historic battles and war efforts in New Jersey (Sec. 57).

• Establishes a “Gold Star Family Counseling Program” under the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 60).

• Establishes the New Jersey Commission on Veterans Benefits (Sec. 63).

• Requires the New Jersey Commission on Veterans Benefits to develop, maintain, and update a five year strategic plan on veterans benefits (Sec. 64).

• Authorizes all former service members dishonorably discharged due to sexual orientation to change their status to honorable discharge (Sec. 65).

• Authorizes the commissioner to obtain and issue awards to service members approved by the legislature (Sec 66).

• Authorizes the transfer of various preexisting programs to the Department of Veterans Affairs (Sec. 68).

Full Bill Text