STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex and Union)
Assemblyman JOE DANIELSEN
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Conaway, Assemblywomen Dunn and Reynolds-Jackson
SYNOPSIS
Establishes New Jersey Veteran Gravesite Maintenance Grant Program in DMVA.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning a veteran gravesite maintenance grant program and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is established in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs a veteran gravesite maintenance grant program. The purpose of the program shall be to provide grants to qualified veterans’ organizations for veteran gravesite maintenance.
a. As used in this section, "qualified veterans' organization" means a nonprofit veterans' organization that is a section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans' Service Organization.
b. In establishing the grant program pursuant to this section, the department shall:
(1) develop guidelines and procedures for the submission of grant applications, and criteria for the evaluation of such applications;
(2) establish terms and conditions for the awarding of a grant under this section, and monitor grant recipients’ compliance with the terms and conditions;
(3) require the recipient of the grant to report to the department information relating to its use of grant funds under the program; and
(4) submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature, during each year in which a grant is awarded, on the effectiveness of the grant program in assisting with the maintenance of veteran gravesites.
c. The department may, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to establish and implement the grant program.
d. The Adjutant General shall include with the annual budget request for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs a request for funds sufficient to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish a grant program within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) for qualified veterans’ organizations to maintain veteran gravesites across the State. DMVA would be required to develop guidelines, procedures, and criteria for applications and awards. The grant recipients would be required to report grant fund use to DMVA. Implementation of the grant program would be subject to a future appropriation by the Legislature.
The bill defines “qualified veterans' organization” as a nonprofit veterans' organization that is a section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans' Service Organization.