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S 789

Relates to findings in child abuse or neglect proceedings

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jabari Brisport

Extends New Jersey affordable-housing preferences to South Korean Vietnam-era veterans, their surviving spouses, and primary caregiver family members, with defined priority order.

SIGNED CHAP.110
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 789

Note on source materials
The documents provided include multiple, conflicting texts (a New Jersey bill extending housing preferences to certain South Korean veterans that was enacted as Chapter 110, and an unrelated Massachusetts draft on doula insurance). The summary below focuses on the enacted New Jersey measure that corresponds to the bill language and the “SIGNED CHAP.110” status in the materials.

Bill summary — S-789 (New Jersey) — Enacted (P.L.2025, c.110)

Status: Signed by Governor (Chapter 110) on March 20, 2025
Introduced: Prefiled for 2024–2025 session; reported and enacted in 2025

Main purpose

To extend existing affordable-housing preferences available to U.S. veterans to certain South Korean military veterans who served as allies to the United States in the Vietnam conflict, and to extend related preferences to their surviving spouses and to family members who are primary residential caregivers to disabled veterans.

Key provisions and statutory changes

  • Amends several statutes governing affordable housing preferences and admission rules, including:
    • P.L.2017, c.19 (C.40:37A-114.1 and C.40A:12A-20.2) — definitions and veteran preference for housing projects.
    • P.L.1983, c.530 (C.55:14K-8) — admission rules for agency-financed housing projects.
  • Expanded definitions:
    • “Veteran” and “Disabled veteran” are explicitly expanded to include South Korean military veterans who:
    • As determined by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs (DMVA), served in the Vietnam conflict as allies to the United States;
    • Are citizens and residents of New Jersey;
    • For “disabled veteran,” have been declared by the South Korean equivalent of the U.S. Veterans Administration to have a service‑connected disability.
  • Housing preference:
    • The Commissioner of Community Affairs must establish rules to provide affordable‑housing preferences in qualifying housing projects to:
    • Homeless veterans;
    • Disabled veterans;
    • Family members who are the primary residential caregivers to disabled veterans residing with them.
    • Applicants awarded the preference must still meet the income eligibility rules for the relevant housing project.
  • Priority order among eligible applicants:
    1. Homeless veterans — first priority
    2. Disabled veterans — second priority
    3. Primary residential caregivers (family members) — third priority
  • Scope: Applies to affordable housing in housing projects financed or managed by entities such as the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, public housing authorities, county improvement authorities, redevelopment agencies, and the Department of Community Affairs when acting as a public housing authority.

Who is affected

  • Newly eligible:
    • South Korean military veterans who served in the Vietnam conflict as U.S. allies, are New Jersey citizens/residents, and who meet the South Korean service‑connected disability determination when applicable.
    • Surviving spouses and family primary caregivers to qualifying disabled veterans (as reflected in the caregiver preference language and committee statements).
  • Housing providers and administrators:
    • State and local housing agencies, financing authorities, and municipal entities that operate or fund affordable housing will need to implement updated admission preferences and verification procedures.
  • Existing applicants for affordable housing: may see priority changes in applicant ranking where qualifying South Korean veterans or their caregivers apply.

Implementation and administrative effects

  • The DMVA is responsible for determining eligibility of South Korean veterans under the new definitions (including verifying service and disability determinations from South Korean authorities).
  • The Commissioner of Community Affairs must promulgate implementing rules and regulations to operationalize the preference.
  • Applicants must continue to satisfy the income eligibility and other admission standards for each housing project.
  • Fiscal impact: Not specified in the bill text provided. Potential administrative costs for agencies to verify eligibility and update procedures; potential reallocation of existing affordable housing slots to newly eligible claimants.

Effective date / procedural timeline

  • Passed both legislative houses in early 2025, delivered to the Governor and signed on March 20, 2025 (codified as Chapter 110 of 2025). Agencies must follow rulemaking and implementation steps as required by the amended statutes.

If you want, I can:
- Produce a side‑by‑side summary of the specific statutory text changes, or
- Draft an implementation checklist for the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of Community Affairs.

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

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