LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
ASSEMBLY, No. 5531
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 26, 2023
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Establishes county veteran transportation grant program; appropriates
$2 million.
Type of Impact: Potential annual expenditure increase for State; potential expenditure
and revenue increases for counties.
Agencies Affected: Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs; certain county
governments.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Year 1 Year 2 & Thereafter
State Cost Increase Up to $2 million Indeterminate
Local Cost Increase Indeterminate Indeterminate
Local Revenue Increase Up to $2 million Indeterminate
 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that the bill may incentivize some counties
to newly provide transportation services to and from medical counseling appointments for
disabled veterans for their service-connected conditions. These counties will incur an
indeterminate amount of annual cost increases. Counties that may already provide these
services will not experience any cost increases under the bill.
 State costs may increase by up to $2 million in the first year the bill is in effect and by an
indeterminate amount thereafter to provide reimbursements to counties for their transportation
costs. The bill appropriates $2 million for these reimbursements.
 County revenues may increase by up to $2 million in the first year the bill is in effect and by
an indeterminate amount thereafter from these State reimbursements.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill requires the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs to create a program to
reimburse participating county governments that transport disabled veterans to and from medical
Office of Legislative Services Legislative Budget and Finance Office
State House Annex Phone (609) 847-3105
P.O. Box 068 Fax (609) 777-2442
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 www.njleg.state.nj.us
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appointments within the State for service-connected conditions by reimbursing the operation of
county-owned conveyance, subject to available State or federal funding. The bill also appropriates
$2 million from the State General Fund in the first year after the bill takes effect.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that the bill may incentivize some counties to newly provide transportation
services to and from medical counseling appointments for disabled veterans for their service-
connected conditions. These counties will incur an indeterminate amount of annual cost increases.
Counties that may already provide these services will not experience any cost increases under the
bill. State costs may increase by up to $2 million in the first year the bill is in effect and by an
indeterminate amount thereafter to provide reimbursements to counties for their transportation
costs. County revenues may increase by up to $2 million in the first year the bill is in effect and
by an indeterminate amount thereafter from these State reimbursements.
At present, there is insufficient information available to determine how many counties will
participate in the program, the extent to which participating counties will rely on existing
paratransit infrastructure to meet the transportation needs of disabled veterans with a service-
connected disability, or the demand for county-owned transportation services among disabled
veterans with a service-connected disability. As such, annual county costs under the program are
indeterminate. In addition, the amount made available for the program in the out years will be
determined by any additional appropriation by the State deemed necessary, and so the annual State
reimbursement costs and annual county revenue increases from these reimbursements beyond the
first year of the program also are indeterminate.
Section: State Government
Analyst: Anna Harris
Assistant Fiscal Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 38A:3-49