Relates to exempting disabled veterans from application fees relating to physical modification of a residence to accommodate a disability, including permit fees, plan review fees, inspection fees and reinspection fees.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10921
IN ASSEMBLY
April 8, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. STERN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to exempting
disabled veterans from certain fees relating to physical modification
of a residence to accommodate a disability
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "disabled
2 veteran home modification act".
3 § 2. Legislative findings and purposes. (a) The legislature finds
4 that:
5 (1) Disabled veterans are being charged fees for home modifications in
6 order to accommodate a disability, including permit fees, plan review
7 fees, inspection fees, reinspection fees, or other fees.
8 (2) Such fees can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, adding a
9 financial burden for disabled veterans looking to make their homes more
10 accessible.
11 (b) The Legislature's purposes in promulgating this act are to further
12 the important and compelling state interests of:
13 (1) providing that a veteran with a disability, or the veteran's care-
14 giver, shall not be charged any fees for improvements to the residence
15 of the veteran with a disability, if the improvements are required to
16 accommodate a disability;
17 (2) ensuring that disabled veterans can comfortably live in their
18 homes;
19 (3) ensuring that disabled veterans are not burdened by financial
20 barriers when modifying their homes to accommodate a disability; and
21 (4) reintegrating veterans into their communities and a civilian life-
22 style.
23 § 3. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 95-b
24 to read as follows:
25 § 95-b. Fee exemptions for disabled veterans. 1. For the purposes of
26 this section:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15132-01-6
A. 10921 2
1 (a) "Veteran" shall have the same meaning as set forth in section one
2 of the veterans' services law.
3 (b) "Veteran with a disability" means a veteran who:
4 (i) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one
5 or more major life activities of such individual;
6 (ii) has a record of such an impairment; or
7 (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment.
8 2. (a) A veteran with a disability or the veteran's caregiver shall
9 not be charged any building department fees, including permit fees, plan
10 review or plan examination fees, inspection fees, reinspection fees, or
11 other fees required in order to make improvements or alternations to the
12 residence of the veteran with a disability if the improvements are
13 required to accommodate a disability of the veteran. Nothing in this
14 section relieves the obligation of any person to submit to the appropri-
15 ate city, town or village any applications, forms, or other paperwork
16 required to obtain a building permit. A veteran or caregiver must
17 provide proof of veteran status and attest to the fact that the improve-
18 ments to the residence are required to accommodate the veteran's disa-
19 bility.
20 (b) The governing body of a city, town or village shall specify by
21 local law, rule or ordinance, the documentation required to qualify for
22 exemption from fees under this section.
23 § 4. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
24 have become a law; provided, however, that no fees paid to a city, town
25 or village prior to such effective date shall be required to be
26 refunded.
