STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman ROBERT J. KARABINCHAK
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman MITCHELLE DRULIS
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Morales
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes local governments to provide voluntary contributions to certain nonprofit veterans' organizations.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act authorizing local governments to provide voluntary contributions to nonprofit veterans’ organizations and amending R.S.40:5-2.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.40:5-2 is amended to read as follows:
40:5-2. a. Any county or municipality may make a voluntary contribution of not more than $125,000 annually to any duly incorporated first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad association and a voluntary contribution of not more than $70,000 annually to any duly incorporated nonprofit veterans’ organization of the county, or of any municipality therein, rendering service generally throughout the county, or any of the municipalities thereof. Any voluntary contribution to a nonprofit veterans’ organization shall be used to address issues of veterans located within the county or municipality, as applicable, concerning, but not limited to, housing assistance, food security, mental health and suicide prevention, career transitions and advancement, transportation, and veteran family resources.
In addition, if any [such] duly incorporated first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad associations experience extraordinary need, the county or municipality may contribute an additional amount of not more than $70,000 annually; provided, however, that the need for [such] the additional funds is established by the association and is directly related to the performance of [said] the association's duties. Whenever the total annual county or municipal contribution to [an] a duly incorporated first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad association exceeds $70,000, the chief financial officer of the county or municipality shall receive an audit performed by a certified public accountant or a registered municipal accountant of each association's financial records for the current year which shall certify to the governing body of the county or municipality that such records are being maintained in accordance with sound accounting principles.
Any county or municipality may appropriate [such] additional sums as it may deem necessary for the purchase of first aid, ambulance, rescue or other emergency vehicles, equipment, supplies and materials for use by these associations, the title to which shall remain with the county or municipality, provided that the funds are controlled and disbursed by the county or municipality.
[In the case of a joint purchase made by the governing bodies of two or more local units pursuant to the provisions of the "Consolidated Municipal Services Act," P.L.1952, c.72 (C.40:48B-1 et seq.), the title to the purchase shall be held by the joint meeting formed by the contracting governing bodies.]
b. The nonprofit veterans’ organization shall provide the governing body and the chief financial officer of the county or municipality with an accounting of all funds contributed by the county or municipality to the organization in the previous year, pursuant to subsection a., including the use of those funds for programs or resources accessible to veterans within the county or municipality, as applicable.
c. For the purposes of this section, a " nonprofit veterans’ organization" means any organization which provides support services to those who have served in the armed forces of the United States, including but not limited to services related to the physical, emotional, and medical needs of veterans, and which qualifies as a section 501(c)(19) tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.12, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill allows counties and municipalities to annually provide up to $70,000 of voluntary contributions to nonprofit veterans’ organizations located within the county or municipality. The bill provides that the nonprofit veterans’ organization is to provide the governing body and chief financial officer of the county or municipality with an accounting of all funds contributed by the county or municipality to the organization in the previous year including the use of those funds for programs or resources accessible to veterans within the county or municipality, as applicable.
The bill defines a “nonprofit veterans’ organization” as any organization which provides support services to those who have served in the armed forces of the United States, including, but not limited to, services related to the physical, emotional, and medical needs of veterans, and which qualifies as a section 501(c)(19) tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code. Currently, R.S.40:5-2 allows counties and municipalities to provide up to $125,000 of financial assistance annually for volunteer emergency services associations.