Bill > A3167

Introduced Session

The purpose of this bill is to help alleviate the high rate of unemployment among military veterans by creating an incentive for vendors seeking contracts with the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to employ veterans. The bill provides that in awarding contracts for the purchase of goods or services by the department, with or without public advertising for bids, the Adjutant General may grant a preference to vendors based upon the number of full-time employees of that vendor who are veterans. If the Adjutant General determines to grant such a preference for a particular contract, the Adjutant General will determine for each of the top three vendors the number of the vendor's full-time employees and the number of the vendor's full-time employees who are veterans. The contract will be awarded to the vendor having the highest percentage of such employees who are veterans. The bill defines "veteran" to include a disabled veteran. In making this determination, the Adjutant General may rely on information submitted by each vendor. However, the Adjutant General must verify that information within 30 calendar days and if it is determined that any business has knowingly and willfully misrepresented the number of its employees or the number of its employees who are veterans, the Adjutant General will immediately debar that business and its principals from contracting with the department for a period of five years. If the misrepresentation was committed by the vendor that has been awarded the contract, the Adjutant General will also terminate that contract. The department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq., will adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the bill's provisions. This act will be known and may be cited as the "Boosting Rates of American Veteran Employment (BRAVE) Act."

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Carol Murphy (D)*,  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*,  Cleopatra Tucker (D)*,  Brian Bergen (R),  Vicky Flynn (R), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document