LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

ASSEMBLY, No. 2355

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: MAY 28, 2026

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Requires issuance of one free copy of birth certificate to military veteran.

Type of Impact:

Annual State revenue decrease.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Health.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Annual 

 

State Revenue Decrease

 

           Indeterminate

 

 

 

 

 

·       The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill would result in an indeterminate decrease in State revenue due to the establishment of a policy that would provide for the issuance of one free birth certificate to a military veteran. 

·       The Office of Vital Statistics and Registry in the Department of Health currently charges a $25 fee to issue an initial certificate of birth.  Since the number of individuals who are military veterans and request a birth certificate from the office each year is not available, the OLS cannot quantify the annual State revenue loss under this bill.  The OLS notes, however, that each certificate issued gratis pursuant to this bill will result in a $25 reduction in State revenues.

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill requires that the State Registrar of Vital Statistics in the Department of Health is to issue one free certified copy of a birth certificate to a military veteran upon request.  Additional copies of the birth certificate are to be subject to the regular statutory fee.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS estimates that this bill would result in an indeterminate decrease in State revenue due to the establishment of a policy that would provide for the issuance of one free birth certificate to a military veteran.  The Office of Vital Statistics and Registry in the Department of Health currently charges a $25 fee to issue an initial certificate of birth.  Since the number of individuals who are military veterans and request a birth certificate from the office each year is not available, the OLS cannot quantify the annual State revenue loss under this bill.  The OLS notes, however, that each certificate issued gratis pursuant to this bill will result in a $25 reduction in State revenues.  

      For reference, the Office of Research and Information in the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development estimated in November 2025 that there are 249,800 veterans living in New Jersey.  The OLS cannot determine how many of those veterans were born in the State, and how many additional veterans live out-of-State but were born in New Jersey.

      The OLS assumes that, in the absence of the bill, military veterans would purchase birth certificates as needed.  Under this assumption, this bill would not increase the number of military veterans ordering birth certificates and would have no impact on administrative costs.

 

 

Section:

Human Services

Analyst:

Sarah Schmidt

Principal Research 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.).