SENATE MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3022

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: DECEMBER 1, 2025

      The Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 3022.

      As amended by the committee, this bill requires funeral directors to respond promptly to a request for information from the Department of Veterans Affairs as to whether the funeral directors are in possession of unclaimed cremains of veterans, eligible spouses of veterans, or eligible dependents of veterans.  The bill also requires the New Jersey Electronic Death Registration System to provide an electronic notification to the Department of Veterans Affairs of the death of a veteran, eligible spouse of veterans, or eligible dependent of a veteran, upon completion of the death record and issuance of the cremation permit.  The notification will include the decedent’s: name; last known address; dates of service, including active duty, reservist, and national guard dates of service, as appropriate; date of death; and date on which the cremation permit was issued.

      As amended, the Department of Veterans Affairs will use the electronic notification to identify and contact funeral homes at the beginning of the thirteenth month after a cremation permit was issued for the remains of a veteran, an eligible spouse, or eligible dependent of a veteran to request information as to whether those cremains have been claimed.  In the event that those cremains have not been claimed, the department may assist the funeral home in contacting a qualified veterans’ organizations to take possession of the unclaimed cremains of veterans, eligible spouses of veterans, or eligible dependents of veterans.

      As amended, the bill also requires the commissioners of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs to appear before certain legislative committees if the departments have not implemented the bill within six months following the effective date and to explain the steps the department is taking to ensure implementation.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 3022 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 1131 (1R), which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1) require funeral directors to respond promptly to a request for information from the Department of Veterans Affairs as to whether the funeral directors are in possession of unclaimed cremains of veterans, eligible spouses of veterans, or eligible dependents of veterans;

      (2) require the New Jersey Electronic Death Registration System to provide an electronic notification to the Department of Veterans Affairs of the death of a veteran, eligible spouse of veterans, or eligible dependent of a veteran, upon completion of the death record and issuance of the cremation permit;

      (3) require the Department of Veterans Affairs to use the electronic notification to identify and contact funeral homes to ascertain whether the cremains have been claimed over the past year and, if the cremains have not been claimed, the commissioner of the department may assist the funeral home in contacting a qualified veterans’ organization to coordinate the release of the remains to the qualified veterans’ organization consistent with the requirements of current law; and

      (4) require the commissioners of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs to appear before certain legislative committees if the departments have not implemented the bill within six months following the bill’s effective date and to explain the steps each department is taking to ensure implementation.