N.J. Stat. tit. 38, ch. 18A

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 38:18A-1 "Veteran" and "in time of emergency" defined

1. As used in this act, the word "veteran" means and includes any officer, soldier, sailor, marine, airman, nurse, or any other person, male or female, regularly enlisted or inducted, who was or shall have been a part of the active military or naval forces of the United States, and who took part or shall have taken part in any war in which the United States was engaged, or who took part or shall have taken part in the wars with the governments of Japan, Germany and Italy, or any of them, including any member of the American Merchant Marine who is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits, or who served or shall have served in the active military or naval service of the United States in time of emergency as herein defined, and who was a resident of this State at the time he was or shall be commissioned, enlisted, inducted, appointed or mustered into the active military or naval service of the United States, and who has been or shall have been given a discharge or release therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable and continues to be a resident of this State. As used in this act the term "in time of emergency" shall mean (a) the Korean conflict and include any time after June 23, 1950, and prior to July 27, 1953 and (b) the Vietnam conflict and include any time after December 31, 1960, and prior to August 1, 1974. L.1947,c.263,s.1; amended 1949,c.192,s.1; 1951,c.16; 1981,c.424,s.1; 1991,c.389,s.14.

N.J. Stat. § 38:18A-2 Compensation to certain disabled veterans, spouses.

2. A veteran who served in the active military or naval forces of the United States and who has paraplegia and permanent paralysis of both legs and lower parts of the body, or who has osteochondritis and permanent loss of the use of both legs, or who has hemiplegia and permanent paralysis of one leg and one arm or either side of the body, resulting from injury to the spinal cord, skeletal structure, or brain, or who has had both hands, both feet, or one hand and one foot amputated, or who has lost the use of both feet or both legs, due to multiple sclerosis, sustained through enemy action, or accident, or resulting from disease contracted while in active military or naval service, shall be paid for the term of the veteran's life, and upon the veteran's death the surviving spouse, domestic partner, or partner in civil union shall be paid, the sum of $1,800 annually in monthly payments. Such payments shall be due and payable from the date of discharge or release of the veteran if application therefor shall be made within one year from the date of such discharge or release. If the application shall be made after one year from the date of discharge or release of the veteran, such payment shall be due and payable from the date of such application. Accrued payments to the date of certification shall be paid in one lump sum. Nothing in P.L.1947, c.263 (C.38:18A-1 et seq.) shall be intended to include paraplegia or hemiplegia resulting from locomotor ataxia or other forms of syphilis of the central nervous system or from chronic alcohol use disorder, or to include other forms of disease resulting from the veteran's own misconduct which may produce signs and symptoms similar to those resulting from paraplegia, osteochondritis, hemiplegia, or multiple sclerosis. L.1947, c.263, s.2; amended 1949, c.192, s.2; 1950, c.196, s.1; 1951, c.331, s.1; 1955, c.192; 1981, c.424, s.2; 1985, c.116, s.3; 2017, c.131, s.146; amended 2022, c.105, s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 38:18A-3 Evidence of service and disability

3. Evidence of the service and disability mentioned in this act, P.L.1947, c.263 (C.38:18A-1 et seq.), shall be furnished to the Division of Veterans Services of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, which shall examine the same and upon being satisfied that the service was performed and the veteran has been rendered permanently paralyzed or has permanently lost the use of both legs, or has suffered amputation, as defined in section 2 of this act, shall so certify to the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury, who shall, upon receipt thereof, draw a warrant on the State Treasurer in favor of the applicant in the sum of $1,800 annually, which the State Treasurer shall pay out of the money appropriated therefor by the Legislature. L.1947, c. 263, p. 965, s. 3. Amended by L.1949, c. 192, p. 643, s. 3; L.1950, c. 196, p. 439, s. 2; L.1951, c. 331, p. 1168, s. 2; L.1981, c. 424, s. 3, eff. Jan. 9, 1982; 2022, c.105, s.4.

N.J. Stat. § 38:18A-4 Continuation of payments

Any veteran or surviving spouse receiving payments pursuant to the provisions of P.L. 1947, c. 263 (C. 38:18A-1 et seq.) and who is required to, and who does, move without the State for reasons of health or employment, and any veteran who heretofore was receiving payments pursuant to the provisions of P.L. 1947, c. 263 (C. 38:18A-1 et seq.) and who was required to, and who did, move without the State for reasons of health or employment, shall notwithstanding such nonresidence be entitled to continue to receive such payments. In the event such veteran or surviving spouse becomes entitled to payments from the state to which he moves pursuant to an act of such state substantially similar to this act and P.L. 1947, c. 263 (C. 38:18A-1 et seq.), such payments shall immediately cease, unless such veteran or surviving spouse shall elect to receive such payments to the exclusion of the payments of the state to which he moves. L. 1954, c. 213, p. 788, s. 1. Amended by L. 1956, c. 207, p. 746, s. 1, eff. Jan. 4, 1957; L. 1985, c. 116, s. 4, eff. April 9, 1985.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026