This bill amends New Jersey law to broaden the eligibility criteria for veterans' benefits by eliminating the requirement that veterans must have served during specific dates or in designated locations. It redefines "disabled veteran" to include any veteran eligible for compensation for a service-connected disability from the Department of Veterans Affairs, regardless of the time or place of service. The definition of "veteran" is expanded to include individuals who have served at least 90 days of active service in the Armed Forces or as a member of a reserve component, provided they were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Additionally, veterans who served fewer than 90 days can qualify if they incurred a service-connected disability. The bill also includes provisions for the parents and spouses of veterans who died in federal active service, granting them a disabled veterans preference.

Further amendments clarify the definitions of "child," "widower," and "widow" in relation to pension benefits, allowing for the inclusion of domestic partners and specifying support requirements for dependency status. The bill modifies the language regarding prior service credit for members of the retirement system, allowing them to purchase credit for active service in the Armed Forces or reserve components. It also revises tax exemption provisions for veterans and their surviving spouses, ensuring that those honorably discharged with a service-connected disability are eligible for property tax exemptions. Overall, these changes aim to enhance the inclusivity and accessibility of veterans' benefits and retirement systems for a broader range of individuals who have served in the military.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43:15A-6, 43:15A-24, 43:15A-73.1, 43:16A-11.11, 54:4-3.30, 54:4-3.31, 54:4-8.10, 54:4-8.11, 54:4-8.12, 54:4-8.13, 54:4-8.17