New Jersey S 3924: Establishes "Welcome Home Veterans Bonus" program in DMVA.

Bill Text

SENATE, No. 3924
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED DECEMBER 9, 2024

Sponsored by:
Senator LATHAM TIVER
District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)

SYNOPSIS
Establishes “Welcome Home Veterans Bonus” program in DMVA.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.

S3924 TIVER
2

AN ACT concerning incentives for veterans to continue residing in 1
New Jersey and supplementing Title 38A of the New Jersey 2
Statutes. 3
4
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 5
of New Jersey: 6
7
1. a. There is established in the Department of Military and 8
Veterans Affairs a “Welcome Home Veterans Bonus” program. 9
The purpose of the program shall be to incentivize veterans to 10
continue residing in New Jersey after completion of military 11
service. 12
b. (1) Upon application, as provided in this section, there shall 13
be allowed and paid out the sums specified in this section to each 14
veteran, herein defined as any person who has served in the Armed 15
Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, 16
including the New Jersey National Guard, in active service as part 17
of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, 18
Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation 19
Freedom Sentinel, or any successor or related operation and was 20
honorably discharged or generally discharged under honorable 21
conditions. The domicile of the veteran on account of whose 22
service the application is filed shall have been in the State for a 23
period of not less than six months before the time of the person's 24
entry into the service. Any veteran discharged or released under 25
other than honorable conditions due to sexual orientation, gender 26
identity, gender expression, or HIV status based on the veteran's 27
DD-214 form or equivalent documentation shall be eligible for the 28
bonus program under this section. 29
(2) The sum of $1,000 shall be allowed and paid out to each 30
veteran who performed active service outside of the continental 31
limits of the United States for which the veteran qualified for 32
hostile fire or imminent danger pay as determined by the United 33
States Department of Defense. 34
(3) The sum of $500 shall be allowed and paid out to each 35
veteran who performed active duty within the continental limits of 36
the United States, or outside the continental limits of the United 37
States but did not qualify for hostile fire or imminent danger pay as 38
determined by the United States Department of Defense, for a 39
period of not less than six months. 40
(4) Upon return from each subsequent deployment defined under 41
this section, there shall be allowed and paid out 50 percent of the 42
sums specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection to 43
qualifying veterans. 44
(5) Upon application, as provided in this section, there shall be 45
allowed and paid out the sum of $300 to each qualifying veteran 46
who has served in the Armed Forces of the United States, or a 47
Reserve component thereof, including the New Jersey National 48

S3924 TIVER
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Guard, outside of the continental limits of the United States and 1
who is in receipt of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for 2
service during a period where no other State wartime bonus is 3
available, provided that the veteran shall have served in the Armed 4
Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, 5
including the New Jersey National Guard, for a period of not less 6
than 90 days, unless conditions of physical incapacity prevented the 7
completion of such service and provided that the domicile of the 8
veteran on account of whose service the application is filed shall 9
have been in the State for a period of not less than six months 10
immediately before the time of the person's entry into service. 11
c. If a veteran who is deceased would, if alive, be entitled to the 12
benefits of this section, the sum named in this section shall be paid 13
to the decedent veteran's heir-at-law. If there is more than one heir-14
at-law, payments shall be made in such proportions as shall be 15
determined by the decedent veteran’s will or, if the decedent 16
veteran dies without a will, then as shall be determined by the 17
statutory requirements of intestate succession as prescribed in 18
N.J.S. 3B:5-3 through 3B:5-16. A right or payment under this 19
section shall not be subject to the claims of creditors, capable of 20
assignment, regarded as assets, legal or equitable of the estate of the 21
deceased, or made the basis for administration thereof. 22
If a person died while in active service, a sum of $1,000 shall be 23
paid in the manner provided by this subsection in addition to any 24
unpaid amount the person would have received, if eligible, pursuant 25
to subsection b. of this section. 26
d. Applications under this section shall be filed with the 27
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The Department of 28
Military and Veterans Affairs shall develop guidelines and 29
procedures