Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday signed a law creating a new stand-alone Department of Veterans Affairs.
Until now, services for New Jersey veterans came under the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, which also manages military operations and the state’s National Guard. The new law splits the agency in two with separate leadership at each.
Both federal and state investigations reported substandard care and ongoing neglect at state-run veterans homes where nearly 200 residents died during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Justice Department said the conditions violated veterans’ constitutional rights and the state paid out millions in legal settlements prompting a bipartisan call for reforms.
Murphy named Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, Vincent Solomeno to lead the new Department of Veterans Affairs.
