Office of Legislative Services
State House Annex
P.O. Box 068
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Legislative Budget and Finance Office
Phone (609) 847-3105
Fax (609) 777-2442
www.njleg.state.nj.us
LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 3504
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: NOVEMBER 26, 2024
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Establishes Office of Veteran Advocate and ombudsman for DMVA;
appropriates funds.
Type of Impact: Annual State expenditure increase.
Agencies Affected: Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Annual
State Expenditure Increase $1 million to $2 million
The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that this bill will increase annual State
expenditures by $1 million to $2 million due to the establishment of the Office of the Veteran
Advocate. The increase could be more or less than this amount depending on the number of
personnel required to facilitate the duties of the office.
For comparison, the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental
Disabilities and their Families has a staff of four and expended roughly $400,000 in FY 2024,
while the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman has a staff of 40 and expended $4.2
million in FY 2024.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill establishes the Office of the Veteran Advocate in but not of the Department of Military
and Veterans Affairs to support veterans and ensure veterans in this State are receiving high-
quality services and care.
This bill establishes the Veteran Advocate as the administrator and chief executive officer of
the Office of the Veteran Advocate, who is to be a veteran appointed by the Governor, with the
advice and consent of the Senate. The bill requires the salary of the Veteran Advocate to be
minimum of $150,000 per year. The advocate will serve as an ombudsman for veterans and their FE to S3504 [1R]
2
families by investigating complaints from veterans and their family members, publishing reports
regarding issues with veteran services provided by any State entity or any private entity that
receives State funding, and providing recommendations to the Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs to improve veteran services. The advocate is also responsible for the
administration of the Office of the Veteran Advocate, including hiring personnel and adopting
appropriate rules and regulations for the efficient conduct of the office.
The bill requires the Veteran Advocate to report annually to the Governor, the Legislature, and
the head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs on the activities of the office, priorities
for veterans’ services, and recommendations concerning the provision of services by the
department. This bill also requires the Veteran Advocate to make its significant findings of
investigation reports or other studies undertaken by the office available to the public, which will
then be forwarded to the Governor, the Legislature, and the head of the Department of Military
and Veterans Affairs.
This bill appropriates money from the General Fund to the Office of the Veteran Advocate, the
amount of which is to be determined by the Legislature and sufficient to carry out the provisions
outlined in the bill.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that this bill will increase annual State expenditures by $1 million to $2
million due to the establishment of the Office of the Veteran Advocate and the employment of the
Veteran Advocate as an ombudsman for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The
increase could be more or less than this amount depending on the number of personnel required to
facilitate the duties of the office.
The OLS notes that the State currently operates two similar entities to that of the office
established under the bill, which are located in but not of the Department of the Treasury: the
Long-Term Care Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or
Developmental Disabilities and their Families. The purpose of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman
is to receive, investigate, and resolve complaints concerning long-term care facilities; to initiate
actions to secure, preserve, and promote the health, safety, welfare and the civil and human rights
of residents; and to oversee programs within the office. Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman
for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and their Families is to serve as a
resource to provide information and support to individuals with intellectual or developmental
disabilities and their families. For context on the scope of these offices and the associated State
costs, please see the following: FE to S3504 [1R]
3
Entity Year
Established
Population
Served
FY 2024 Actual
Spending
Office
Staff
Office of the State Long-
Term Care Ombudsman
1977 242,000 elderly
institutionalized in
the State
$4.2 million 40
Ombudsman for
Individuals with
Intellectual or
Developmental Disabilities
and their Families
2017 25,346 individuals
served in
community/948
individuals served
in Developmental
Centers
$398,487 4
The OLS assumes that the Office of the Veteran Advocate will serve a population slightly
larger than that of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman based on the 2023 Census
Bureau’s American Community Survey showing a veteran population of 258,485 in this State.
The Veteran Advocate may also be of service to family members of veterans, further expanding
the population served by the office. However, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman currently
oversees more than 900 facilities, whereas the Veteran Advocate will oversee five facilities, likely
resulting in a smaller number of staff and less spending for the newly established office.
Finally, the OLS concludes that the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will
experience a potential increase in annual costs as it is required to implement the recommendations
submitted by the Office of the Veteran Advocate.
Section: State Government
Analyst: Camryn Mathews
Assistant Fiscal Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).