Bill Text: NJ S2816 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires DMVA to partner with National Guard Association of New Jersey to offer State-sponsored life insurance for members of New Jersey National Guard.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-08-20 - Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading [S2816 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S2816-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DMVA to partner with National Guard Association of New Jersey to offer State-sponsored life insurance for members of New Jersey National Guard.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning State-sponsored life insurance for members of the New Jersey National Guard and supplementing Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. The National Guard is the most crucial line of mainland defense for the United States of America.
b. The National Guard of New Jersey consists of over 8,300 servicemembers dedicated to the protection of the State of New Jersey, the United States, and the rest of the world.
c. The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is committed to caring for the servicemembers of the National Guard and their families.
d. Despite this commitment to the servicemembers of the New Jersey National Guard, there is currently no low-cost State-sponsored life insurance benefit for the members and their families.
e. There have been several perceived federal legal and ethical issues associated with a State-sponsored life insurance benefit for National Guard servicemembers.
f. However, the United States Congress has provided in 37 U.S.C. 707 that the Secretary of the Army or the Secretary of the Air Force, as the case may be, may allow a member of the National Guard to make allotments from his or her pay for the payment of premiums under a group life insurance program sponsored by the military department of the state in which such member holds his or her National Guard membership or by the National Guard Association of such state.
g. The United States Secretary of Defense has provided by regulation in Section 3-209 of the Department of Defense Directive 5500.07-R that offering group life insurance programs sponsored by a state military department, to the same extent and similar manner as the offering of the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance program, is not an endorsement of a non-federal entity in violation of said regulation.
h. Members of the New Jersey National Guard should be provided with the opportunity to purchase low-cost New Jersey National Guard State-sponsored life insurance products.
i. Therefore, it is desirable for members of the New Jersey National Guard to have access to low-cost life insurance in addition to the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance program currently offered to all service members.
2. a. The National Guard Association of New Jersey shall be the designated provider of State-sponsored life insurance products offered through insurers licensed to transact insurance business in New Jersey for military members and dependents of the New Jersey National Guard. The life insurance products provided by the National Guard Association of New Jersey through its membership in the Militia Insurance Trust shall be known as the "New Jersey National Guard State-Sponsored Life Insurance Program."
b. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, through the Adjutant General, is hereby designated as the official departmental sponsor of the "New Jersey National Guard State-Sponsored Life Insurance Program," and shall allow, facilitate, and coordinate all efforts to make the program available to all members of the New Jersey National Guard, and shall allow, facilitate, and coordinate requested allotments with the appropriate United States Property and Fiscal Office.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to partner with the National Guard Association of New Jersey (NGANJ) to offer State-sponsored life insurance for the New Jersey National Guard (NJNG).
The NJNG currently consists of over 8,300 dedicated servicemembers committed to protecting New Jersey, the United States, and the rest of the world. Members of the National Guard live in the community and are ready to assist civilian emergency management before, during, and after emergency situations. New Jersey is committed to caring for the servicemembers and families of the National Guard.
Currently, members of the NJNG do not benefit from a low-cost State-sponsored life insurance program. This is due to several perceived federal legal and ethical issues associated with a State-sponsored life insurance benefit for National Guard servicemembers. However, the United States Congress has provided that a member of the National Guard may enroll in a group life insurance program sponsored by the military department of the state in which such member holds his or her National Guard membership or by the National Guard Association of such state.
This bill designates the NGANJ the provider of State-sponsored life insurance products offered through insurers licensed to transact insurance business in New Jersey for military members and dependents of the NJNG. The program will be known as the "New Jersey National Guard State-Sponsored Life Insurance Program." The DMVA, through the Adjutant General, is designated as the official departmental sponsor of the program. The department will allow, facilitate, and coordinate all efforts to make the program available to all members of the NJNG, and will allow, facilitate, and coordinate requested allotments with the appropriate United States Property and Fiscal Office. This bill will not add any fiscal responsibility for the State.
