Bill Text: NJ A5109 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Grant Program" in DMVA.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A5109 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A5109-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GERRY SCHARFENBERGER
District 13 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Grant Program" in DMVA.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning a grant program connecting disabled veterans with service dogs and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. 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 or shall be declared by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or its successor, to have a service-connected disability.
"Nonprofit organization" means a private nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3).
"Service dog" means any dog individually trained to the requirements of a person with a disability including, but not limited to, minimal protection work, rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or retrieving dropped items. This term shall include a "seizure dog" trained to alert or otherwise assist persons with epilepsy or other seizure disorders.
b. There is established in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs the "Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Grant Program" to award grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing service dogs to disabled veterans. In establishing the grant program pursuant to this section, the department shall develop guidelines and procedures for the submission of grant applications and criteria for the evaluation of such applications. The department shall also establish the terms and conditions for the awarding of a grant under this section, monitor grant recipients' compliance with the terms and conditions, and require the recipient of a grant to periodically report to the department information relating to its use of grant funds under the grant program.
c. An application for a grant under this section shall include, but need not be limited to:
(1) a proposal to provide service dogs for disabled veterans, including how the nonprofit organization will communicate with the department to ensure an increasing number of service dogs are provided to disabled veterans;
(2) a description of the training that will be provided by the nonprofit organization to disabled veterans, and the training of dogs that will serve as service dogs;
(3) a list of any additional support or services the nonprofit organization will provide for such dogs and disabled veterans;
(4) a plan for publicizing the availability of such dogs through a marketing campaign that targets disabled veterans;
(5) a description of the commitment of the nonprofit organization to humane standards for animals and how these standards will be implemented; and
(6) proof of accreditation by Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation.
d. The department shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), during each year in which a grant is awarded, on the effectiveness of the grant program in connecting disabled veterans with service dogs.
e. A nonprofit organization awarded a grant pursuant to this section shall not charge a fee to a disabled veteran receiving a service dog through the grant program. The department shall provide a commercially available veterinary insurance policy for a service dog to each disabled veteran who receives a service dog through the grant program, and the policy shall continue to be provided without regard to the continuation or termination of the grant program.
f. The department may, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the grant program.
g. The Adjutant General shall include with the annual budget request for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs a request for funds sufficient to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.
2. This act shall take effect 30 days following the date of enactment, except that the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) for nonprofit organizations to provide service dogs to disabled veterans. DMVA would be required to develop guidelines, procedures, and criteria for applications and awards. At a minimum, applications will include a proposal for the provision of service dogs to disabled veterans, a description of the training that will be provided to disabled veterans and service dogs, a list of any additional support or services the nonprofit organization will provide, a marketing campaign plan, a description of the commitment of the nonprofit organization to humane standards for animals and how these standards will be implemented, and proof of accreditation by Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation.
The bill also prohibits nonprofit organizations awarded a grant from charging a fee to a disabled veteran receiving a service dog through the program.
The bill also requires DMVA to provide a commercially available veterinary insurance policy for a service dog to each disabled veteran who receives the service dog through the grant program. The policy will continue to be provided without regard to the continuation or termination of the grant program.
The grant recipients will be required to report grant fund use to DMVA. Implementation of the grant program would be subject to a future appropriation by the Legislature.
