N.J. Constitutional Convention: Volume 3 Page 292.

LETTER OF AMERICAN LEGION&nbspDEPARTMENT OF NEW JERSEY

July 15, 1947.

&nbspHon. John F. Schenk,&nbspChairman of Committee on Rights, Privileges,&nbspAmendments and Miscellaneous Provisions,&nbspConstitutional Convention,&nbspFlemington, New Jersey.
Dear Sir,

The American Legion, Department of New Jersey, representing approximately ninety thousand (90,000) veterans in the State of New Jersey, respectfully requests that the Constitutional Assembly insert some provision in the new Constitution for the State of New Jersey that will take away from existing and future legislation any taint of unconstitutionality.

Legislation benefiting veterans now on the statute books of the State of New Jersey may be divided into three types of legislation: (1) tax exemption legislation providing for tax exemptions for individuals and tax exemption legislation providing for veterans’ organizations; (2) preference legislation giving preference to veterans in examinations conducted by the Civil Service of the State and other legislation giving preference to veterans in appointment to office in municipalities not governed by Civil Service; (3) privileged legislation such as pensions for veterans, special pensions for the blind and paraplegic veterans, bonuses, veterans absent from public employment to attend conventions, real estate brokers’ licenses for disabled veterans, providing for the giving of Statutes and Law and Equity Reports to disabled veterans who are lawyers, use of buildings for veterans’ organizations, allotment of funds for the education of war orphans, legislation affecting the exclusive sale of poppies and forget-me-nots, legislation providing for service medals, legislation providing for registration of graves, legislation permitting municipalities to advance monies to veterans’ organizations for special purposes and all similar legislation.

Some of the legislation now on our statute books from a constitutional standpoint is good, some doubtful and some is absolutely bad.

Under the Constitution of 1844 no mention was made of veterans because at that time there were no large number of veterans nor any prominent veterans’ organizations.

Today in drafting a new Constitution for the State of New Jersey it is absolutely necessary that the rights of veterans be protected. This protection can be accomplished in one of two ways:

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