Bill > S3022

This bill requires funeral directors in New Jersey to notify the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs about unclaimed cremains of veterans, their spouses, and dependents one year after cremation. Specifically, funeral directors who have made diligent efforts to locate relatives and have not had the cremains claimed must report the location and identity of these cremains to the department. The bill mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs develop an internet-based central reporting system to track these unclaimed cremains. Additionally, the bill requires the New Jersey Electronic Death Registration System to provide electronic notifications about cremated remains of veterans and their families, including details such as the decedent's name, address, service dates, and date of cremation. If a funeral home has unclaimed veteran cremains, the Department of Veterans Affairs may assist in coordinating their release to a qualified veterans' organization, which can then scatter or inter the remains at an appropriate veterans' memorial cemetery. The bill aims to ensure that the cremains of veterans and their families are handled with dignity and that efforts are made to identify and honor their service.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S3022