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A 2163

Relates to vintage snowmobile registrations

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Karl Brabenec and 2 co-sponsors

DMVA must provide monthly burial/cremation names from state veteran cemeteries to eligible veteran groups and local officials, only with signed waivers; records are confidential.

SUBSTITUTED BY S7200B
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · A 2163

Summary — Assembly Bill A2163 (v. A2163B)

Title: Relates to vintage snowmobile registrations — (note: bill text as amended actually concerns veteran burial/cremation information)

Note: A2163 was introduced in the Assembly January 9, 2024. The Assembly-passed measure was later substituted by S7200B (June 9, 2025). The summary below describes the substantive provisions reported out by the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committees.

Purpose / Intent

The bill directs the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs (DMVA) to provide certain burial and cremation information from State veteran cemeteries to qualified veteran organizations and to local officials, while protecting privacy by requiring a waiver and making the reports confidential (exempt from the Open Public Records Act).

Key provisions

  • Monthly reporting: DMVA must provide a monthly report (for the previous month) listing the names of persons who were buried or cremated in State veteran cemeteries.
  • Recipients: Reports are to be provided to:
    • Eligible veteran organizations (defined below),
    • County officers, and
    • Municipal registers.
  • Waiver requirement: A representative of the deceased (the person buried or cremated) must sign a waiver before the department may release the information.
  • Electronic transmission: The department may transmit and receive the monthly reports and waivers electronically.
  • Confidentiality: The monthly reports and the waivers are confidential records and are expressly excluded from public access under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).
  • Definition of veteran organization: For purposes of this bill, a “veteran organization” means a group that qualifies as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans’ Service Organization.

Who is affected

  • DMVA / Adjutant General: new reporting and record-release duties.
  • Veteran organizations that meet the tax-exempt/federally chartered criteria: potential recipients of monthly burial/cremation name lists.
  • County officers and municipal registers: local government recipients who may use the information for records or outreach.
  • Representatives of decedents: their signed waiver is required to authorize release.
  • General public: access to these records is limited because reports and waivers are confidential and exempt from OPRA.

Potential impacts

  • Positive: Enables veteran organizations and local officials to identify recent interments/cremations for outreach, memorial notifications, honors, benefits assistance, or community recognition.
  • Privacy/procedural effect: The waiver requirement protects family privacy but may limit organizations’ access if no waiver is provided. The OPRA exemption prevents public disclosure of these reports/waivers.
  • Administrative: DMVA will need procedures for collecting waivers, producing monthly reports, and securely transmitting records (including electronic transmission systems if used).

Legislative status / timeline (selected)

  • Introduced in Assembly: 2024-01-09
  • Reported out of Assembly Military & Veterans’ Affairs Committee: 2024-05-06
  • Passed Assembly: 2024-09-26 (76-0-0)
  • Referred/considered in Senate committees (Military & Veterans’ Affairs; Ways & Means; Rules): 2024–2025
  • Reported in Senate Military & Veterans’ Affairs Committee: 2025-06-19
  • Substituted by S7200B and ordered to third reading (Senate): 2025-06-09 — current status: SUBSTITUTED BY S7200B

Related legislation

  • Companion / similar bills: S2361, S7200 / S7200B; prior-session bills include A7405, A856, A1839.

If you want, I can:
- Compare the text of A2163 to the substitute S7200B to identify any changes, or
- Draft a short plain-language notice that DMVA could use to seek waivers from families.

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

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