SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 2525

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  OCTOBER 15, 2018

 

     The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2525.

     This bill directs the Adjutant General in the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs, subject to the availability of funds, to enter into agreements with public or private entities to fund a portion of the legal services such entities provide to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness related to housing, family law, income support, and criminal defense.

     Under the bill, the Adjutant General shall ensure that, to the extent practicable, agreements established under the bill are made with entities located in the northern, central and southern regions of the State.  The legal services shall include the following:

     (1)   Legal services related to housing, including eviction defense, representation in landlord-tenant cases, and representation in foreclosure cases.

     (2)   Legal services related to family law, including assistance in court proceedings for child support, divorce, estate planning and family reconciliation.

     (3)   Legal services related to income support including assistance in obtaining public benefits.

     (4)   Legal services related to criminal defense, including defense in matters symptomatic of homelessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines and driver’s license revocation, to reduce recidivism and facilitate the overcoming of reentry obstacles in employment or housing.

     (5)   Such other legal services as the Adjutant General deems appropriate.

     The bill amends N.J.S.A.38A:3-6.2b, the "New Jersey Homeless Veterans Grant Program." This program awards grants, on a competitive basis, to organizations that assist homeless veterans in this State from funds appropriated to the department from the "Homeless Veterans Grant Fund" established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2013, c.239 (C.54A:9-25.33).  The amendment to this section provides that grants allocated to public or private entities that provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness shall be allocated pursuant to section 2 of this bill which directs the Adjutant General to enter into agreements with public or private entities to fund a portion of the legal services specified in this act.

     Under the bill, the Adjutant General may require entities that enter into agreements to submit periodic reports on legal services provided to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness.

     The bill is modeled on H.R.1993, federal legislation currently pending in Congress.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The costs associated with this bill for the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veteran’s Affairs to enter into agreements with public or private entities to fund a portion of the legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness related to housing, family law, income support, and criminal defense are indeterminate and subject to appropriation.  The bill references the New Jersey Homeless Veterans Grant Program, established by P.L.2013, c.239 and possible funding from the Homeless Veterans Grant Fund.  The purpose of the program is to award grants to organizations that assist homeless veterans in New Jersey from funds appropriated to the department from gross income tax return donations and deposited into the Homeless Veterans Grant Fund.