Establishes NJ Military Family Relief Fund; provides for designation on State gross income tax return to permit taxpayers to make voluntary contributions to military family relief fund.

S1903 SMV Statement 6/11/26

SENATE
MILITARY AND
VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No.
1903

with
committee amendments

STATE
OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:
�
JUNE 11, 2026

����� The Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee
reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1903.

����� As amended by the committee, this bill establishes the
�New Jersey Military Family Relief Fund� and provides for a designation on the
State gross income tax return that will permit taxpayers to make voluntary
contributions to the military family relief fund.

����� Under the bill, a separate, nonlapsing fund to be
known as the �New Jersey Military Family Relief Fund� is established in the
Department of the Treasury.� Moneys in the fund would be held by the State
Treasurer and made available for the purposes of the bill.� The purpose of the
military family relief fund would be to provide grants up to $2,500 to defray
the costs of food, housing, medical services, and other essential expenses for
(1) members of the United States Armed Forces, or a Reserve component thereof,
and their families, (2) members of the New Jersey National Guard and their
families, (3) veterans and their families, or (4) the surviving spouse of a
member of the armed forces, or a reserve component thereof, a member of the
national guard, or a veteran.

����� The bill provides that the Legislature would annually
appropriate all funds deposited in the �New Jersey Military Family Relief Fund�
to the Department of Military Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs, as
appropriate, which would be credited with:

����� (1) moneys received by the State as gifts, grants, or
donations for the purpose of military family relief, including, at the
discretion of the Adjutant General or the commissioner, as appropriate, grants
accepted by the departments;

����� (2) moneys that the Legislature may appropriate; and

����� (3) other moneys made available including, but not
limited to, funds provided by the federal government.

����� Under the bill, the Adjutant General of the Department
of Military Affairs and the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs
would jointly determine the application process, and establish the eligibility
documentation required for a person to be considered a qualified applicant, and
issue the grant from the �New Jersey Military Family Relief Fund,� if adequate
moneys are available, to those qualified applicants.

����� To be qualified, the applicant is required to be a New
Jersey resident and must have resided in the State for a period of not less
than 12 consecutive months immediately prior to submitting an application.� An
applicant must also provide documentation of financial hardship to the
department in order to receive the grant and is prohibited from receiving a
grant from the �New Jersey Military Family Relief Fund� more than once in any
12-month period.

����� Under the bill,

����� �veteran� means an individual who received an
honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions from
active service in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, or a Reserve
component thereof, or the New Jersey National Guard.

����� This bill was prefiled for introduction in the
2026-2027 session pending technical review.� As reported, the bill includes the
changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
:

����� The committee amended the bill to clarify that the
Department of Military Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs will jointly
administer the �New Jersey Military Family Relief Fund� program.�