SENATE MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2361

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 19, 2025

      The Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2361.

      As amended by the committee, this bill requires the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to provide a monthly report to veteran organizations, county officers, and municipal registers of the names of persons buried or cremated in State veteran cemeteries the previous month.  The bill also requires that a representative of the person buried or cremated in a State veteran cemetery sign a waiver before the information may be released.  The department may transmit and receive the reports and waivers electronically.  The monthly reports and waivers will be confidential and not subject to the law commonly referred to as the open public records act. 

     Veteran organization means a veteran organization that qualifies as a section 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans’ Service Organization. 

      As reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 2361 (1R) is identical to Assembly Bill No. 2163, which was also reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to include municipal registers as able to receive the names of persons buried or cremated in the State veteran cemeteries.  The amendments permit the electronic transmission and receipt by the department of the monthly reports and waivers.  The amendments also specify that the monthly reports and waivers are confidential and not subject to the law commonly referred to as the open public records act.  The amendments make the bill identical to Assembly Bill No. 2163.