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A 4622

"Compassionate Spousal Visits for Veterans Act"; establishes transportation grant program for spouses of veterans; appropriates $500,000.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Alex Sauickie

Provides a transportation grant program reimbursing spouses of New Jersey veterans for non-medical visits to veterans in facilities, funded with $500,000.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee
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Bill Summary · A 4622

Summary of Bill A-4622 (Session 222, New Jersey)

Title: Compassionate Spousal Visits for Veterans Act

Jurisdiction: New Jersey

Sponsor: Primary sponsor (unlisted); Co-sponsor: Alex Sauickie

Status: Introduced March 10, 2026; referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee

Purpose
- Establish a transportation grant program to reimburse spouses of veterans for travel to visit veterans who are residing in or receiving in-patient treatment at long-term care facilities or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities within New Jersey.
- The overarching goal is to support the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of both veterans and their spouses through non-medical, recreational, or social visits.

Key Provisions

1) Establishment of Transportation Grant Program
- Administered by the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs (NJDVA).
- Purpose: Reimburse spouses for transportation costs incurred when visiting veterans in long-term care facilities or VA medical facilities in New Jersey for non-medical visits (recreational, social, or other non-clinical reasons).

2) Reimbursement Mechanisms
- Public Transit (NJ Transit):
- Reimburse spouses who spend their own funds on NJ Transit services to travel to/from facilities to visit a veteran.
- Applies when the visit is for recreational, social, or non-medical reasons and other state or federal programs do not provide reimbursement.
- County Transportation:
- Reimburse participating county governments for providing transportation to spouses traveling on county-provided services.
- Applies under the same non-medical visiting purpose and eligibility constraints.
- For-Hire Private Transportation:
- Reimburse spouses who use a private for-hire transportation service (taxi, rideshare, etc.) when:
- They pay out of pocket,
- They are not eligible for other reimbursements,
- The service is not duplicative of an existing transportation option available to the spouse (e.g., group-care facility transport),
- The transportation is necessary due to circumstances that prevent or hinder the spouse from operating their own vehicle.

3) Eligibility and Monitoring
- The program is limited to spouses of veterans visiting veterans in New Jersey facilities.
- A monitoring system must be developed to track applicants and reimbursements.

4) Insurance and Liability
- Government entities that provide transportation under this program must carry liability insurance that covers spouses during transport.

5) Financial Provisions and Administration
- The bill authorizes an appropriation of $500,000 from the General Fund to the NJDVA to implement the act.
- The NJDVA must reimburse counties for related costs and may adopt regulations necessary to effectuate the act.
- The department is required to notify the public, veterans, and eligible spouses about the program.

6) Effective Date
- The act takes effect on the first day of the sixth month following enactment.
- The NJDVA may begin anticipatory administrative action in advance to implement the act.

What Would Be Affected

  • Spouses of veterans who visit veterans in New Jersey long-term care facilities or VA medical facilities.
  • State agencies (New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs) responsible for administering the grant program.
  • County governments that operate transportation services (potentially affecting funding and reimbursement processes).
  • Public and private transportation providers (NJ Transit, county transit providers, and for-hire private transportation firms) that may be used by eligible spouses.
  • Insurance requirements for government transportation providers involved in the program.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Access to visitation: The program aims to reduce transportation barriers for spouses, potentially improving morale, mental health, and caregiver well-being.
  • Beneficiary scope: Limited to spouses of veterans; does not appear to extend to other family members or non-spouse caregivers.
  • Funding and sustainability: With a $500,000 appropriation, the program’s ongoing viability depends on future budgeting and whether demand exceeds available funds.
  • Administrative complexity: Requires coordination among NJDVA, NJ Transit, county governments, private carriers, and adherence to reporting and monitoring requirements.
  • Eligibility criteria: Emphasis on non-duplication with existing programs and necessity due to transportation barriers.

Notes
- The bill is labeled as “Compassionate Spousal Visits for Veterans Act.”
- It supplements chapter 3 of Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes and includes an appropriation and a trigger date for implementation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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