CNBNews

(TRENTON) — In a move to strengthen support for New Jersey’s veterans, the Assembly Appropriations Committee today advanced two major pieces of legislation to overhaul how the state serves its veteran population. Together, the bills would establish a new, cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs to oversee veterans' programs and create an independent Office of the Veteran Advocate with broad authority to investigate abuse, ensure accountability, and elevate the voices of veterans and their families.

“These bills are about building a better, more responsive system for veterans in New Jersey—one that puts their needs first, strengthens accountability, and ensures that no one who served our country is left to struggle,” said Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex, Union) Chair of the Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee and prime sponsor of both bills. “By creating a standalone Department of Veterans Affairs and an independent Office of the Veteran Advocate, we’re making the kind of structural changes that will improve outcomes, restore trust, and honor the service of our veterans.”

Sponsored by Assembly members Tucker, Robert J. Karabinchak, and Annette Quijano, Bill A5520 would create a new Department of Veterans Affairs, separating veterans programs from the current Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA). All services and divisions that serve veterans would move to the new cabinet-level department, while military functions would remain in a restructured Department of Military Affairs. This change would align New Jersey with numerous other states that have standalone veterans departments and would aim to provide more focused leadership and accountability for the programs veterans rely on.

Also advanced today, A4712, sponsored by Assemblywoman Tucker and Assemblyman Julio Marenco, would establish an independent Office of the Veteran Advocate to oversee, investigate, and report on the operations and policies of State, county, and local veterans’ facilities. The Veteran Advocate would be tasked with investigating abuse or neglect, conducting site visits, consulting with other public entities, and holding public hearings to gather input from agencies, the public, and other stakeholders. The Office would also operate a 24-hour toll-free hotline for concerns raised by veterans or members of the public.

As actions at the federal level seek to dismantle long-standing protections—whether through efforts to cut Veteran Affairs staffing, eliminate diversity and inclusion initiatives, or allow providers to deny care based on political and marital status—these bills represent a major step toward ensuring that those who served our nation receive the dignity, care, and advocacy they deserve right here in New Jersey.