4. a. When such a program has been authorized, the county clerk or register of deeds and mortgages, as appropriate, shall issue an identification card to any veteran who is a resident of the county. The veteran identification card shall bear the true name, branch of the military, including a reserve component thereof, in which the veteran served, date of card issuance, and other identifying information as certified by the applicant for such veteran identification card. Every application for a veteran identification card shall be signed and certified by the applicant and shall be supported by such documentary evidence as the county clerk or register of deeds and mortgages, as appropriate, may require.

b. Any of the following shall constitute documentary evidence required by subsection a. of this section: the applicant’s DD-214, DD-215, or DD-256 form as issued by the federal government, an NGB-22 or other approved separation forms as outlined by all branches of the Armed Forces, or veteran identification card as issued by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs under the “Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015,” (38 U.S.C. § 5706) and duly recorded by the office. The county clerk or register of deeds and mortgages, as appropriate, shall require a copy of the documentary evidence submitted to be kept on file with the application for the veteran identification card, and shall note the location of the original documentary evidence as pursuant to this subsection. The copy of the documentary evidence submitted and the application shall be kept confidential and shall not be considered a government record under P.L.1963, c.73 (C. 47:1A-1 et seq.), except that they may be released to another government agency. The Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs shall assist in the identification, and verification as needed, of approved separation forms as outlined by all branches of the military and submitted by applicants.

L.2012, c.30, s.4; amended 2017, c.292, s.2; 2019, c.255, s.3; 2019, c.500, s.10.