Establishes a veterans' bill of rights; provides sample language for such bill of rights; requires the department of veterans' services to establish and distribute a veterans' bill of rights and to make such bill of rights available on the department's website.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6559--C
Cal. No. 164
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 6, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BENEDETTO, GRIFFIN, ANGELINO -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee -- again reported from said committee with amend-
ments, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
-- ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retain-
ing its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to the estab-
lishing a veterans' bill of rights
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The veterans' services law is amended by adding a new
2 section 29-f to read as follows:
3 § 29-f. Veterans' bill of rights. 1. The department shall establish,
4 print, publish and distribute a veterans' bill of rights. Such bill of
5 rights shall include the following or substantially similar text
6 describing the existing rights of veterans under current law:
7 "VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS
8 You as a veteran have a right:
9 1. To apply for veterans' benefits for which you may be eligible;
10 2. To receive assistance from your local state veterans' service agen-
11 cy and all offices of the New York state department of veterans'
12 services;
13 3. To receive, upon request, an explanation of any services and bene-
14 fits available under federal and New York state laws, rules and regu-
15 lations;
16 4. To receive written notice and an explanation of the approval or
17 denial of your application for benefits available through the New York
18 state department of veterans' services;
19 5. To be treated with dignity and respect;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09703-06-6
A. 6559--C 2
1 6. To appeal, subject to applicable law, an adverse determination or
2 denial of your application for services or benefits available through
3 the New York state department of veterans' services;
4 7. To expect confidentiality to the extent provided by law;
5 8. To receive fair and equal treatment without regard to sex, race,
6 religion, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or national origin; and
7 9. To receive, upon request, information relating to assistance
8 provided to veterans in the state of New York including but not limited
9 to: legal services; educational, employment, or housing opportunities;
10 assistance with discharge upgrades and/or character of service determi-
11 nations; tax benefits, including real property and personal taxes; and
12 the veterans notation on New York state driver's license or non-driver
13 identification cards."
14 2. The department shall conspicuously post the veterans' bill of
15 rights on the department's website and shall make the veterans' bill of
16 rights available to county and city veterans' service agencies.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
18 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment,
19 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
20 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
21 completed on or before such effective date.
