This bill mandates the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to establish and maintain a central website registry for unclaimed cremains of veterans, which will aid veteran organizations in locating these remains. It requires funeral directors, after making diligent efforts to find a relative or friend of the deceased, to notify the DMVA of any unclaimed veteran cremains they possess one year after cremation. The bill also clarifies that funeral directors must grant qualified veterans' organizations the right to receive these unclaimed cremains, which must then be disposed of respectfully, either by scattering at sea or interring at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery if eligible.

Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to enhance the responsibilities of funeral directors regarding unclaimed veteran cremains and to ensure that the DMVA develops an Internet-based reporting system for tracking these remains. This initiative aims to streamline the process of identifying and interring unclaimed veterans' cremains, thereby ensuring that they receive the dignified treatment they deserve. The legislation addresses the issue of long-abandoned cremains, which can remain unclaimed for decades, and seeks to facilitate a more timely and respectful resolution for these veterans.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:7-18.2, 38A:3-2