Bill Text: NJ A2368 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides that certain veterans are entitled to free admission to, and free parking at, State parks and forests.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A2368 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2368-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRIS TULLY
District 38 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Quijano
SYNOPSIS
Provides that certain veterans are entitled to free admission to, and free parking at, State parks and forests.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning veterans' admission to, and parking at, State parks and forests, and amending P.L.1983, c.324 and P.L.2007, c.275.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 12 of P.L.1983, c.324 (C.13:1L-12) is amended to read as follows:
12. a. (1) The department shall not charge an admission fee for entrance into a State park or forest by any resident of the State [of] who is 62 or more years of age [or who] , is totally disabled [or who] , is an active member of the New Jersey National Guard who has completed Initial Active Duty Training [.] , or is a veteran.
(2) The department shall not charge a fee to enable parking, at a State park or forest, by any resident of the State who is a veteran. The department shall set aside, for use by veterans, at no charge, a minimum of two percent of the total number of parking spaces available at each State park or forest, but in no case shall the department set aside less than three parking spaces, at each State park or forest, for such purposes.
(3) The department shall prescribe, by regulation, the types of evidence that may be used to qualify persons for the benefits of this subsection.
b. The department shall not charge a disabled veteran a fee to obtain, replace, or renew a permit to operate a motorized vehicle on a State park beach.
c. As used in this section :
"Disabled veteran" means any resident of the State who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States and who has been declared by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or its successor, to have a service-connected disability of any degree.
"Initial Active Duty Training" means Basic Military Training, for members of the New Jersey Air National Guard, and Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, for members of the New Jersey Army National Guard.
"Veteran" means the same as the term is defined in section 1 of P.L.2007, c.275 (C.13:1L-12.1).
(cf: P.L.2019, c.398, s.2)
2. Section 1 of P.L.2007, c.275 (C.13:1L-12.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. (1) The department shall not charge an admission fee for entrance into a State park or forest by any veteran [during an event held by a veterans' organization] . In addition, the department shall not charge a facilities fee of any kind to any veterans' organization using a State park or forest for an event.
(2) The department shall not charge an admission fee or facilities fee of any kind for entrance into a State park or forest by a person holding a driver's license or identification card with a Gold Star Family designation issued pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2013, c.165 (C.39:3-10f6) or section 2 of P.L.1980, c.47 (C.39:3-29.3), respectively
b. As used in this section:
"Veteran" means any resident of the State now or hereafter who has been discharged honorably or under general honorable conditions in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, or the National Guard of this State or another state as defined in [section 1 of P.L.1963, c.109 (C.38A:1-1)] N.J.S.38A:1-1, or any honorably discharged member of the American Merchant Marine who served during World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits; and
"Veterans' organization" means the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, or other veterans' organizations chartered under federal law, or any service foundation of such an organization recognized in its bylaws.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.500, s.1)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would amend existing law in order to provide veterans, who are residents of the State, with free admission to, and free parking at, State parks and forests. The bill would also require the Department of Environmental Protection to set aside, for use by veterans, at no charge, a minimum of two percent of the total number of parking spaces available at each State park or forest, but, in no case, less than three parking spaces. Current law already provides free State park and forest admission to State residents who are active members of the National Guard, are totally disabled, or are 62 or more years of age.
The bill would define
"veteran," consistent with the definition appearing in existing law, at section
1 of P.L.2019, c.500
(C.13:1L-12.1), as any resident of the State
now or hereafter who has been discharged honorably or under general honorable
conditions in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve
component thereof, or the National Guard of this State or another state as
defined in N.J.S.38A:1-1, or any honorably discharged member of the American
Merchant Marine who served during World War II and is declared by the United
States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits.
