Every eligible claimant shall be entitled to reimbursement for each year subsequent to the base year and annually thereafter, on proper claim being made therefor to the director, to a homestead property tax reimbursement. The amount of the homestead property tax reimbursement shall not be reduced by the amount of the deductions taken by the eligible claimant pursuant to P.L. 1963, c.171 (C.54:4-8.10 to 54:4-8.23) and P.L. 1964, c.255 (C.54:4-8.40 to 54:4-8.45 et al.). The surviving spouse of a deceased resident of this State who during his or her life received a homestead property tax reimbursement pursuant to P.L. 1997, c. 348(C.54:4-8.67 et seq.) shall be entitled, so long as he or she remains a resident in the same homestead with respect to which the homestead property tax reimbursement was granted, and so long as he or she is an eligible claimant, to the same homestead property tax reimbursement, upon the same conditions, with respect to the same homestead.
N.J.S. § 54:4-8.69