LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
SENATE, No. 843
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: JULY 17, 2025
SUMMARY
|
Synopsis: |
Requires Adjutant General of DMVA create program for veterans to receive evaluation and treatment for PTSD, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury. |
|
Type of Impact: |
Annual State expenditure increase. |
|
Agencies Affected: |
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. |
|
Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
||||
|
Fiscal Impact |
|
Annual |
|
|
|
State Expenditure Increase |
|
Indeterminate |
|
|
|
|
|
|||
· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that requiring the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to create a program to assist veterans in accessing evaluation and treatment services for post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury related to military service would result in annual indeterminate expenditure increases to the State.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill requires the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to develop, in coordination with appropriate departments and agencies, a program to assist veterans in accessing evaluation and treatment for a post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis related to military service. The program may include offering support and guidance, transportation, assistance filing disability compensation claims, assistance updating discharge status, health care, and other services or programs available at the local, State, and federal level for obtaining and addressing a post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS estimates that requiring the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to create a program to assist veterans in accessing evaluation and treatment services for post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis related to military service would result in annual indeterminate expenditure increases to the State.
The actual cost increase associated with the program’s creation will depend on the degree to which programmatic duties and services exceed existing department workflows and services.
The OLS notes that many of the potential program components articulated in the bill, such as providing transportation to veterans, assisting with disability claim filings and updating discharge status, and providing free post-traumatic stress disorder counseling to veterans, service members, and family members, are part of the department’s existing services and budget.
The degree to which specialized services linked to the bill’s provisions exceed the department’s existing offerings depends on internal decision making, which the OLS cannot know in advance.
|
Section: |
State Government |
|
Analyst: |
Associate 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.).