(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblymen Nelson T. Albano and Matthew W. Milam sponsored to ensure New Jersey honors its fallen members of the Armed Forces was approved unanimously Monday by the Assembly and the Senate, sending it to the governor’s desk.
The bill (A-3507) requires the governor, upon notification and verification of the death of an active service member of the Armed Forces of the United States of America or of the National Guard who was a resident of New Jersey, to notify all county and municipal governing bodies of the death of the member, and direct that the United States flag and the state flag be flown at half-staff, within or outside of the public building where the governing body regularly convenes.
“The purpose of the bill, quite simply, is to honor all brave service members who have served this state and our country so selflessly and who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom – their lives,” Albano said. “Flying flags at half-staff to honor their bravery may already be a regular practice, but it’s right to make it a requirement.”
“Requiring the state to honor the brave sacrifice of our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters and neighbors is the proper thing to do,” Milam said. “They have given the greatest sacrifice to defend our freedoms, so the least we can do is require their memories to be appropriately honored.”
The bill was approved 76-0 by the Assembly and 37-0 by the Senate.
