Bill Text: NJ AR134 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges President and Congress of US to enact S.2137, "Military Family Stability Act."
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2016-05-26 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR134 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-AR134-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex)
Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman JAMEL C. HOLLEY
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Urges President and Congress of US to enact S.2137, "Military Family Stability Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the President and the Congress of the United States to enact S.2137, the "Military Family Stability Act."
Whereas, The demands of service in the United States Armed Forces often require members to relocate with little or no prior notice; and
Whereas, Military family members may have to also immediately relocate, which can be disruptive and destabilizing; and
Whereas, Abrupt and frequent relocations of military service members can affect the ability of the spouse to maintain a job, or complete the requirements for a higher education degree or for a certificate or license; and
Whereas, Scientific evidence suggests that a sudden change in a school environment is disruptive for a child's social and educational development; and
Whereas, Immediate relocation often does not provide a military family sufficient time to arrange alternate services for an immediate family member under their care who is suffering from a chronic or long-term illness; and
Whereas, If military family members decide to move at different times, to minimize the destabilizing factors of relocation, they may have to pay rent for their current and new location, which can be burdensome and unaffordable; and
Whereas, Military family members need more flexibility to minimize the financial burden and destabilizing factors of abrupt relocations; and
Whereas, The federal bill S.2137, called the "Military Family Stability Act," would allow military family members to move to a new location either six months before or after the service member's start date; and
Whereas, The federal bill would allow military family members to receive, for up to six months, a housing allowance based on their current location while the service member would receive housing compensation or be provided with temporary unaccompanied housing at the new location; and
Whereas, Military family members would be eligible for the housing allowance if: the spouse is employed or enrolled in a degree, certificate or license program, the service member and spouse have at least one child in school, the spouse or child is covered under the Exceptional Family Member Program, or the service member or spouse is caring for an immediate family member with a chronic or long-term illness; and
Whereas, The "Military Stability Act" would reduce the demands of military service on members of the Armed Forces and their families; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the President and the Congress of the United States to enact S.2137, the "Military Family Stability Act."
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and Vice President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, the Majority and Minority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress from New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the President and the Congress of the United States to enact S.2137, the "Military Family Stability Act."
The demands of service in the United States Armed Forces often require members to relocate with little or no prior notice. Military family members may have to also immediately relocate, which can be disruptive and destabilizing. Abrupt and frequent relocations of military service members can affect the ability of the spouse to maintain a job, or complete the requirements for a higher education degree or for a certificate or license. Scientific evidence suggests that a sudden change in a school environment is disruptive for a child's social and educational development. Immediate relocation often does not provide a military family sufficient time to arrange alternate services for an immediate family member under their care who is suffering from a chronic of long-term illness.
If military family members decide to move at different times, to minimize the destabilizing factors of relocation, they may have to pay rent for their current and new location, which can be burdensome and unaffordable. Military family members need more flexibility to minimize the financial burden and destabilizing factors of abrupt relocations.
The federal bill S.2137, called the "Military Family Stability Act," would allow military family members to move to a new location either six months before or after the service member's start date. The federal bill would allow military family members to receive, for up to six months, a housing allowance based on their current location while the service member would receive housing compensation or be provided with temporary unaccompanied housing at the new location. The "Military Stability Act" would reduce the demands of military service on members of the Armed Forces and their families.
