Bill Text: NJ A3749 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Establishes program to provide assistance to qualified veterans in in-patient and out-patient treatment programs to travel to medical counseling in State.*

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-3)

Status: (Passed) 2016-01-11 - Approved P.L.2015, c.211. [A3749 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2014-A3749-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 3749

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  PAMELA R. LAMPITT

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblyman  VINCENT MAZZEO

District 2 (Atlantic)

Assemblyman  BOB ANDRZEJCZAK

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Assemblyman  RAJ MUKHERJI

District 33 (Hudson)

Assemblywoman  NANCY J. PINKIN

District 18 (Middlesex)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Mosquera, Tucker, Assemblyman Wilson, Assemblywomen Spencer, Vainieri Huttle, Assemblymen Johnson and Danielsen

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes program to provide assistance to qualified veterans in in-patient and out-patient treatment programs to travel to medical counseling in State.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As amended by the Senate on June 25, 2015.

  

An Act establishing a program to provide travel assistance to certain veterans, and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes and chapter 25 of Title 27 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs shall establish a program to provide assistance to qualified veterans in in-patient and out-patient treatment programs to travel to attend ¹[counseling programs] medical counseling appointments for service-connected conditions approved and authorized by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs¹ within this State.

     The department shall ¹[also]¹:

     a.    develop, in cooperation with the New Jersey Transit Corporation ¹and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs¹, a program to provide ¹[assistance] reimbursement, subject to available State or federal funding,¹ to qualified veterans ¹who spend their own funds¹ to travel ¹on public transportation¹ to and from ¹[counseling] medical counseling appointments for service-connected conditions¹ within the State using any motor bus or rail passenger service conducted by the corporation¹[,whenever possible, without charge or the payment of a fee by the veteran] when the veteran is not otherwise eligible for payment for travel or reimbursement by means of any existing State or federal program¹;

     b.    develop, ¹[in coordination with the New Jersey Transit Corporation, a form of identification that permits a qualified veteran to be identified as a participant in the program established by this section] in cooperation with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, a program to provide reimbursement to qualified veterans who spend their own funds to travel using private transportation to and from medical counseling appointments for service-connected conditions within the State by reimbursing on a per mile basis their operation of a privately-owned conveyance when that veteran is not otherwise eligible for payment for travel or reimbursement by means of any existing State or federal program, provided that the qualified veteran shall not use a for-hire private entity that charges for transportation unless such transportation is necessary for the qualified veteran due to a service-connected injury or disability for which the veteran has a certified rating provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs which prevents or hinders his or her ability to operate a privately-owned conveyance;

     c.    develop, in coordination with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, a system for monitoring veterans who have applied for reimbursement¹;

     ¹[c.] d.¹     notify the general public and eligible veterans that the program established by this section is available to qualified veterans; and

     ¹[d.] e.¹     adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

     2.    The New Jersey Transit Corporation shall cooperate with the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to ¹[permit] provide receipts or other proof of travel to¹ veterans in in-patient and out-patient treatment programs who have been qualified to use any motorbus or rail passenger service ¹[conducted by the corporation without charge or the payment of a fee,]¹ pursuant to section 1 of P.L.     , c.    (C.     ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), ¹[to] so that they may be reimbursed for travel to¹ attend ¹[counseling programs] medical counseling appointments for service-connected conditions¹ within this State ¹when they are not otherwise eligible for payment for travel or reimbursement through any other State or federal program¹.

     ¹[The corporation, in coordination with the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, shall develop a form of identification that permits a qualified veteran to be identified as a participant in the program established by section 1 of P.L.     , c.    (C.     ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).]¹

 

     3.    This act shall take effect on the ¹[90th] 180th¹ day following the date of enactment.