Amd Veterans' Services L, generally; amd §6-p, Bank L; amd §87, Cannabis L; amd §831, County L; amd §210, Ec
Dev L; amd §42, Cor L; amd §§50, 75, 85 & 86, Civ Serv L; amd §§13-b, 14-a & 19, Dom Rel L; amd Ed L,
generally; amd §§1-104, 5-210 & 5-211, El L; amd §§11-0305 & 11-0715, En Con L; amd §§94-b, 130, 191 & 643,
Exec L; amd §§32, 35, 35-a, 69-p & 435, Gen Bus L; amd §13-a, Gen Con L; amd §§77, 99-v & 148, Gen Muni L;
amd §117-c, Hway L; amd §§2103, 2104, 2108, 2137 & 2139, Ins L; amd §466, Judy L; amd §§168 & 224-d, Lab L;
amd §§5.06 & 7.09, Ment Hyg L; amd §§20, 243, 245, 247, 249 & 256, Mil L; amd §§202 & 1401, N-PC L; amd
§13.19, Pks & Rec L; amd §156, Pub Hous L; amd §§2509-d, 2522, 2632, 2805-b, 2805-o, 3422, 3802 & 3803, Pub
Health L; amd §63, Pub Off L; amd §1271, Priv Hous Fin L; amd §§458, 458-a & 458-b, RPT L; amd §§20, 122 &
168, Soc Serv L; amd §§95-f, 97-mmmm, 99-v, 143, 163 & 213, St Fin L; amd §103-a, St Tech L; amd §§210-B,
606, 1115 & 1511, Tax L; amd §295, Town L; amd §§404-v, 404-w, 404-y, 490, 504 & 508, V & T L; amd §15, Work
Comp L; amd §20, Chap 784 of 1951
Renames the veterans' services law the veterans and military families law; renames the department of veterans' services the department of veterans and military families; requires the department of veterans and military families to provide certain services to military families.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8967
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
August 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SLATER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs
AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, the banking law, the canna-
bis law, the county law, the economic development law, the correction
law, the civil service law, the domestic relations law, the education
law, the election law, the environmental conservation law, the execu-
tive law, the general business law, the general construction law, the
general municipal law, the highway law, the insurance law, the judici-
ary law, the labor law, the mental hygiene law, the military law, the
not-for-profit corporation law, the parks, recreation, and historic
preservation law, the public housing law, the public health law, the
public officers law, the private housing finance law, the real proper-
ty tax law, the social services law, the state finance law, the state
technology law, the tax law, the town law, the vehicle and traffic
law, the workers' compensation law, chapter 784 of the laws of 1951,
constituting the New York state defense emergency act, chapter 174 of
the laws of 1968, constituting the New York state urban development
corporation act, the administrative code of the city of New York, and
the New York city charter, in relation to renaming the veterans'
services law the veterans and military families law, renaming the
department of veterans' services the department of veterans and mili-
tary families, and requiring the department of veterans and military
families to provide certain services to military families
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The chapter heading of chapter 13 of the consolidated laws
2 is amended to read as follows:
3 [VETERANS' SERVICES] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
4 § 2. The article heading of article 1 of the veterans' services law is
5 amended to read as follows:
6 DEPARTMENT OF [VETERANS' SERVICES] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10758-01-5
A. 8967 2
1 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 1 of the veterans' services law is
2 amended to read as follows:
3 1. The term "department" means the department of [veterans' services]
4 veterans and military families.
5 § 4. Section 2 of the veterans' services law is amended to read as
6 follows:
7 § 2. Department of [veterans' services] veterans and military
8 families. There is hereby created a department of [veterans' services]
9 veterans and military families. The head of such department shall be
10 the New York state commissioner of [veterans' services] veterans and
11 military families who shall be a veteran. [He or she] The commissioner
12 shall be appointed by the governor and shall hold office [during his or
13 her] at the governor's pleasure. Such state commissioner shall receive
14 an annual salary to be fixed by the governor within the limitation
15 provided by law. [He or she] The commissioner shall also be entitled to
16 receive [his or her] expenses actually and necessarily incurred by [him
17 or her] them in the performance of [his or her] their duties. The state
18 commissioner, with the approval of the governor, may establish such
19 bureaus within the department as are necessary and appropriate to carry-
20 ing out its functions and may consolidate or abolish such bureaus. The
21 [state] commissioner may appoint such officers, consultants, clerks and
22 other employees and agents as [he or she] they may deem necessary, fix
23 their compensation within the limitation provided by law, and prescribe
24 their duties.
25 § 5. Subdivision 10 of section 4 of the veterans' services law is
26 amended and four new subdivisions 40, 41, 42, and 43 are added to read
27 as follows:
28 10. To prepare and submit a report, in consultation with the office of
29 temporary and disability assistance, department of labor, and office of
30 children and family services to determine the number of homeless persons
31 in New York state that are veterans. Such report shall include, but not
32 be limited to, the following information to the extent it is reasonably
33 accessible to the department: (a) an analysis of veterans in New York
34 state who are currently homeless, or have been homeless within five
35 years of being released from active duty including an analysis of gender
36 as it relates to homelessness of veterans; (b) data on the number of
37 children of homeless veterans, including the current placement of such
38 children; (c) cases of military sexual trauma experienced by homeless
39 veterans while on active duty or during military training, including a
40 breakdown of the collected data based upon the gender of the victim; and
41 (d) the unemployment rate for New York state veterans. The term "chil-
42 dren of homeless veterans" shall mean a person who is unmarried and who
43 is under the age of eighteen years, and is the biological or legally
44 adopted child of a veteran. The report shall be delivered to the gover-
45 nor, the speaker of the assembly and the temporary president of the
46 senate by June thirtieth, two thousand twenty and every three years
47 thereafter. Such report shall be publicly available and posted on the
48 [department of veterans' services] department's website.
49 40. To serve as liaison between the families of uniformed services
50 personnel and the department of defense.
51 41. To provide information to uniformed services families on family
52 assistance programs that are available from the state and federal
53 government.
54 42. To ensure that the families of uniformed services personnel
55 receive appropriate support and assistance.
A. 8967 3
1 43. To coordinate with family liaison officers designated under
2 section nineteen-a of the military law to provide assistance to the
3 families of those uniformed services personnel who have been deployed
4 for active military duty.
5 § 6. Section 7 of the veterans' services law, as amended by chapter
6 449 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
7 § 7. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance. Depart-
8 ments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies of the state
9 and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assistance, treatment,
10 counseling, care, supervision or custody in service areas involving
11 health, mental health, family services, criminal justice or employment,
12 including but not limited to the office of addiction services and
13 supports, office of mental health, office of probation and correctional
14 alternatives, office of children and family services, office of tempo-
15 rary and disability assistance, department of health, department of
16 labor, local workforce investment boards, office for people with devel-
17 opmental disabilities, and department of corrections and community
18 supervision, shall request assisted persons to provide information with
19 regard to their veteran status and military experiences. Individuals
20 identifying themselves as veterans, including individuals requesting and
21 obtaining a veteran notation on such individual's driver's license or
22 non-driver identification card pursuant to sections four hundred ninety
23 and five hundred two of the vehicle and traffic law, shall be advised
24 that the department [of veterans' services] and local veterans' service
25 agencies established pursuant to section fourteen of this article
26 provide assistance to veterans regarding benefits under federal and
27 state law. Information regarding veterans status and military service
28 provided by assisted persons solely to implement this section shall be
29 protected as personal confidential information under article six-A of
30 the public officers law against disclosure of confidential material, and
31 used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling
32 of the veteran's problems within the agency requesting such information
33 and in referring the veteran to the department [of veterans' services]
34 for information and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements
35 under federal and state law.
36 § 7. Subdivision 2 of section 11 of the veterans' services law is
37 amended to read as follows:
38 2. Individuals identifying themselves as having served in the military
39 or a family member shall be advised that the department [of veterans'
40 services] and local veterans service agencies established pursuant to
41 section seventeen of this article provide assistance to veterans regard-
42 ing benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding veterans
43 and military status provided by assisted persons solely to implement
44 this section shall be protected as personal confidential material, and
45 used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling
46 of the veteran's or family member's problems within the agency request-
47 ing such information and in referring the veteran or family member to
48 the department [of veterans' services] for the information and assist-
49 ance with regard to benefits and entitlements under federal and state
50 law.
51 § 8. Subdivision 1 of section 19 of the veterans' services law is
52 amended to read as follows:
53 1. [Definitions. (a) "Veteran" shall have the same meaning as defined
54 in section one of this article.
55 (b) "Department" shall mean the state department of veterans'
56 services.
A. 8967 4
1 (c) "Women veterans coordinator"] The women veterans coordinator shall
2 be a veteran.
3 § 9. The opening paragraph of paragraph (a) of subdivision 9 and
4 subdivision 10 of section 20 of the veterans' services law is amended to
5 read as follows:
6 support and assist the department [of veterans' services] and the
7 women veterans coordinator pursuant to section nineteen of this article
8 in:
9 10. The department [of veterans' services] shall help support the
10 committee's activities.
11 § 10. Paragraph a of subdivision 1 of section 21 of the veterans'
12 services law is amended to read as follows:
13 a. Any veteran as defined in this article who has been or is hereafter
14 classified by the New York State commission for the visually handicapped
15 as a blind person as defined in section three of chapter four hundred
16 fifteen of the laws of nineteen hundred thirteen, as amended, and
17 continues to be a blind person within the meaning of that section,
18 shall, upon application to the commissioner [of the department of veter-
19 ans' services], be paid out of the treasury of the state for such term
20 as such veteran shall be entitled thereto under the provisions of this
21 article, the sum of one thousand dollars annually, plus any applicable
22 annual adjustment, as provided in this section.
23 § 11. The third undesignated paragraph and subparagraph (i) of para-
24 graph paragraph (a-2) of subdivision 2 of section 24 of the veterans'
25 services law are amended to read as follows:
26 The legislature additionally finds and determines that it is therefore
27 necessary to provide for the construction and establishment of one or
28 more New York state veterans' cemeteries, and that to thereafter,
29 provide for the expansion, improvement, support, operation, maintenance
30 and the provision of perpetual care of all such cemeteries so
31 constructed and established. The legislature also finds and determines
32 that it is appropriate to have the responsibility for the construction,
33 establishment, expansion, improvement, support, operation, maintenance
34 and the provision of perpetual care for veterans' cemeteries in this
35 state, to be under the oversight and direction of the state department
36 of [veterans' services] veterans and military families, and its commis-
37 sioner, individually, and as chair of the management board, for each
38 such veterans' cemetery so constructed and established.
39 (i) The commissioner [of the department of veterans' services], or
40 [his or her] their representative;
41 § 12. Subdivision 1 of section 29 of the veterans' services law is
42 amended to read as follows:
43 1. The department, in cooperation with the office of temporary and
44 disability assistance and any other state department, office, division
45 or agency the department deems necessary, shall require that all intake
46 forms for admission or residency to any temporary shelter that is reim-
47 bursed from state or state-administered grants or funds shall ask an
48 applicant: "Have you or anyone in your household ever been in the United
49 States military?". Each social services district or social services
50 district's designee shall in writing advise all individuals applying for
51 temporary housing assistance and identifying themselves as having been
52 in the United States military that the department [of veterans'
53 services] and local veterans' service agencies established pursuant to
54 section fourteen of this article provide assistance to veterans regard-
55 ing benefits available under federal and state law. Such written infor-
56 mation shall include the name, address and telephone number of the [New
A. 8967 5
1 York state] department [of veterans' services], the nearest department
2 [of veterans' services] office, the nearest county or city veterans'
3 service agency and the nearest accredited veterans' service officer.
4 Each social services district or social services district's designee,
5 with the permission of such individual's identifying themself as a
6 veteran, shall transmit such veteran's status information to the depart-
7 ment [of veterans' services].
8 § 13. Subdivision 3 of section 34 of the veterans' services law is
9 amended to read as follows:
10 3. establish and maintain, together with the commissioner [of the
11 department of veterans' services], a program to educate separating
12 service members as to the benefits available to veterans under this
13 article.
14 § 14. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 4 of section 41 of the veterans'
15 services law is amended to read as follows:
16 (c) Evaluate and assess availability of firms for the purpose of
17 increasing participation of such firms in state contracting in consulta-
18 tion with relevant state entities including, but not limited to, the
19 [New York state] department [of veterans' services].
20 § 15. Section 6-p of the banking law, as added by chapter 102 of the
21 laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
22 § 6-p. Loan counseling for mortgages guaranteed by the Servicemen's
23 Readjustment Act of 1944. Every mortgage lending institution and mort-
24 gage banker which originates loans secured by real property used for
25 residential purposes located in this state which are to be guaranteed
26 under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 shall provide a separate
27 disclosure form with each application stating that a veteran seeking a
28 housing loan under chapter 37 of title 38 of the United States Code has
29 been offered loan counseling services. Such loan counseling services
30 shall be provided by the department of [veterans' services] veterans and
31 military families under section twenty-nine-a of the [veterans'
32 services] veterans and military families law upon request of an appli-
33 cant. The disclosure form required by this section shall be signed by
34 each applicant and shall include information detailing how to access
35 such counseling services.
36 § 16. Paragraph (f) of subdivision 5 of section 87 of the cannabis
37 law, as amended by section 29 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
38 2022, is amended to read as follows:
39 (f) "Service-disabled veterans" shall mean persons qualified under
40 article three of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
41 law.
42 § 17. Section 831 of the county law, as amended by section 32 of part
43 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
44 § 831. Soldier burial plots in Dutchess county. The legislature of the
45 county of Dutchess may authorize the purchase of burial plots and
46 provide for marker settings and perpetual care and maintenance of such
47 plots in one or more of the cemeteries of the county of Dutchess for
48 deceased veterans, who, at the time of death, were residents of the
49 county of Dutchess and who (i) were discharged from the armed forces of
50 the United States either honorably or under honorable circumstances, or
51 (ii) had a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
52 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and received a
53 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable, or (iii) were a
54 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
55 services] veterans and military families law, and received a discharge
A. 8967 6
1 other than bad conduct or dishonorable. The expense thereof shall be a
2 county charge.
3 § 18. Subdivision 6 of section 210 of the economic development law, as
4 amended by section 33 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
5 amended to read as follows:
6 6. "Veteran" shall mean a person who served in the United States army,
7 navy, air force, marines, coast guard, and/or reserves thereof, and/or
8 in the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard and/or
9 New York naval militia and who (a) has received an honorable or general
10 discharge from such service, or (b) has a qualifying condition, as
11 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
12 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
13 dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
14 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
15 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
16 dishonorable from such service.
17 § 19. Paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 42 of the correction
18 law, as amended by section 34 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
19 2022, is amended to read as follows:
20 1. There shall be within the commission a citizen's policy and
21 complaint review council. It shall consist of nine persons to be
22 appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the
23 senate. One person so appointed shall have served in the armed forces of
24 the United States in any foreign war, conflict or military occupation,
25 who (i) was discharged therefrom under other than dishonorable condi-
26 tions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
27 the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
28 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
29 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
30 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
31 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
32 such service, or shall be a duly licensed mental health professional who
33 has professional experience or training with regard to post-traumatic
34 stress syndrome. One person so appointed shall be an attorney admitted
35 to practice in this state. One person so appointed shall be a former
36 incarcerated individual of a correctional facility. One person so
37 appointed shall be a former correction officer. One person so appointed
38 shall be a former resident of a division for youth secure center or a
39 health care professional duly licensed to practice in this state. One
40 person so appointed shall be a former employee of the office of children
41 and family services who has directly supervised youth in a secure resi-
42 dential center operated by such office. In addition, the governor shall
43 designate one of the full-time members other than the chair of the
44 commission as chair of the council to serve as such at the pleasure of
45 the governor.
46 § 20. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section 50 of the civil
47 service law, as amended by section 1 of part EE of chapter 55 of the
48 laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
49 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subdivi-
50 sion, the state civil service department, subject to the approval of the
51 director of the budget, a municipal commission, subject to the approval
52 of the governing board or body of the city or county, as the case may
53 be, or a regional commission or personnel officer, pursuant to govern-
54 mental agreement, may elect to waive application fees, or to abolish
55 fees for specific classes of positions or types of examinations or
56 candidates, or to establish a uniform schedule of reasonable fees
A. 8967 7
1 different from those prescribed in paragraph (a) of this subdivision,
2 specifying in such schedule the classes of positions or types of exam-
3 inations or candidates to which such fees shall apply; provided, howev-
4 er, that fees shall be waived for candidates who certify to the state
5 civil service department, a municipal commission or a regional commis-
6 sion that they are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support
7 of a household, or are receiving public assistance. Provided further,
8 the state civil service department shall waive the state application fee
9 for examinations for original appointment for all veterans. Provided
10 further, the state civil service department shall, and a municipal
11 commission may, subject to the approval of the governing board or body
12 of the city or county, as the case may be, or a regional commission or
13 personnel officer, pursuant to governmental agreement, waive application
14 fees for all examinations held between July first, two thousand twenty-
15 three and December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-five. Notwithstand-
16 ing any other provision of law, for purposes of this section, the term
17 "veteran" shall mean a person who has served in the armed forces of the
18 United States or the reserves thereof, or in the army national guard,
19 air national guard, New York guard, or the New York naval militia, and
20 who (1) has been honorably discharged or released from such service
21 under honorable conditions, or (2) has a qualifying condition, as
22 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
23 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
24 dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
25 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
26 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
27 dishonorable from such service. The term "armed forces" shall mean the
28 army, navy, air force, marine corps, and coast guard.
29 § 20-a. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section 50 of the civil
30 service law, as amended by section 35 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
31 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
32 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subdivi-
33 sion, the state civil service department, subject to the approval of the
34 director of the budget, a municipal commission, subject to the approval
35 of the governing board or body of the city or county, as the case may
36 be, or a regional commission or personnel officer, pursuant to govern-
37 mental agreement, may elect to waive application fees, or to abolish
38 fees for specific classes of positions or types of examinations or
39 candidates, or to establish a uniform schedule of reasonable fees
40 different from those prescribed in paragraph (a) of this subdivision,
41 specifying in such schedule the classes of positions or types of exam-
42 inations or candidates to which such fees shall apply; provided, howev-
43 er, that fees shall be waived for candidates who certify to the state
44 civil service department, a municipal commission or a regional commis-
45 sion that they are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support
46 of a household, or are receiving public assistance. Provided further,
47 the state civil service department shall waive the state application fee
48 for examinations for original appointment for all veterans. Notwith-
49 standing any other provision of law, for purposes of this section, the
50 term "veteran" shall mean a person who has served in the armed forces of
51 the United States or the reserves thereof, or in the army national
52 guard, air national guard, New York guard, or the New York naval mili-
53 tia, and who (1) has been honorably discharged or released from such
54 service under honorable conditions, or (2) has a qualifying condition,
55 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
56 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
A. 8967 8
1 or dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
2 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
3 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
4 or dishonorable from such service. The term "armed forces" shall mean
5 the army, navy, air force, marine corps, and coast guard.
6 § 21. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 75 of the civil
7 service law, as amended by section 36 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
8 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
9 (b) a person holding a position by permanent appointment or employment
10 in the classified service of the state or in the several cities, coun-
11 ties, towns, or villages thereof, or in any other political or civil
12 division of the state or of a municipality, or in the public school
13 service, or in any public or special district, or in the service of any
14 authority, commission or board, or in any other branch of public
15 service, who was honorably discharged or released under honorable
16 circumstances from the armed forces of the United States including (i)
17 having a qualifying condition as defined in section one of the [veter-
18 ans' services] veterans and military families law, and receiving a
19 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
20 (ii) being a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
21 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and receiving a
22 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service,
23 having served therein as such member in time of war as defined in
24 section eighty-five of this chapter, or who is an exempt volunteer fire-
25 fighter as defined in the general municipal law, except when a person
26 described in this paragraph holds the position of private secretary,
27 cashier or deputy of any official or department, or
28 § 22. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 85 of the civil
29 service law, as separately amended by section 37 of part PP of chapter
30 56 and chapter 669 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
31 (a) The terms "veteran" and "non-disabled veteran" mean a member of
32 the armed forces of the United States who was honorably discharged or
33 released under honorable circumstances from such service including (i)
34 having a qualifying condition as defined in section one of the [veter-
35 ans' services] veterans and military families law, and receiving a
36 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
37 (ii) being a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
38 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and receiving a
39 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, who
40 is a citizen of the United States or a noncitizen lawfully admitted for
41 permanent residence in the United States and who is a resident of the
42 state of New York at the time of application for appointment or
43 promotion or at the time of retention, as the case may be.
44 § 23. Section 86 of the civil service law, as amended by section 38 of
45 part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
46 follows:
47 § 86. Transfer of veterans or exempt volunteer firefighters upon abol-
48 ition of positions. If the position in the non-competitive or in the
49 labor class held by any honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces
50 of the United States or by any veteran of the armed forces of the United
51 States released under honorable circumstances from such service includ-
52 ing (i) having a qualifying condition as defined in section one of the
53 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and receiving a
54 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
55 (ii) being a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
56 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and receiving a
A. 8967 9
1 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, who
2 served therein in time of war as defined in section eighty-five of this
3 chapter, or by an exempt volunteer firefighter as defined in the general
4 municipal law, shall become unnecessary or be abolished for reasons of
5 economy or otherwise, the honorably discharged veteran or exempt volun-
6 teer firefighter holding such position shall not be discharged from the
7 public service but shall be transferred to a similar position wherein a
8 vacancy exists, and shall receive the same compensation therein. It is
9 hereby made the duty of all persons clothed with the power of appoint-
10 ment to make such transfer effective. The right to transfer herein
11 conferred shall continue for a period of one year following the date of
12 abolition of the position, and may be exercised only where a vacancy
13 exists in an appropriate position to which transfer may be made at the
14 time of demand for transfer. Where the positions of more than one such
15 veteran or exempt volunteer firefighter are abolished and a lesser
16 number of vacancies in similar positions exist to which transfer may be
17 made, the veterans or exempt volunteer firefighters whose positions are
18 abolished shall be entitled to transfer to such vacancies in the order
19 of their original appointment in the service. Nothing in this section
20 shall be construed to apply to the position of private secretary, cash-
21 ier or deputy of any official or department. This section shall have no
22 application to persons encompassed by section eighty-a of this chapter.
23 § 24. Section 13-b of the domestic relations law, as separately
24 amended by section 39 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022 and
25 chapter 68 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
26 § 13-b. Time within which marriage may be solemnized. A marriage shall
27 not be solemnized within twenty-four hours after the issuance of the
28 marriage license, unless authorized by an order of a court of record as
29 hereinafter provided, nor shall it be solemnized after sixty days from
30 the date of the issuance of the marriage license unless authorized
31 pursuant to section ten of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
32 tary families law. Every license to marry hereafter issued by a town or
33 city clerk, in addition to other requirements specified by this chapter,
34 must contain a statement of the day and the hour the license is issued
35 and the period during which the marriage may be solemnized. It shall be
36 the duty of the [clergyman] clergyperson, magistrate, or one-day
37 marriage officiant, as designated by a town or city clerk pursuant to
38 section eleven-d of this article, performing the marriage ceremony, or
39 if the marriage is solemnized by written contract, of the judge before
40 whom the contract is acknowledged, to annex to or endorse upon the
41 marriage license the date and hour the marriage is solemnized. A judge
42 or justice of the supreme court of this state or the county judge of the
43 county in which either party to be married resides, or the judge of the
44 family court of such county, if it shall appear from an examination of
45 the license and any other proofs submitted by the parties that one of
46 the parties is in danger of imminent death, or by reason of other emer-
47 gency public interest will be promoted thereby, or that such delay will
48 work irreparable injury or great hardship upon the contracting parties,
49 or one of them, may, make an order authorizing the immediate solemniza-
50 tion of the marriage and upon filing such order with the [clergyman]
51 clergyperson, magistrate, or one-day marriage officiant performing the
52 marriage ceremony, or if the marriage is to be solemnized by written
53 contract, with the judge before whom the contract is acknowledged, such
54 [clergyman] clergyperson, magistrate or such one-day marriage officiant
55 may solemnize such marriage, or such judge may take such acknowledgment
56 as the case may be, without waiting for such three day period and twen-
A. 8967 10
1 ty-four hour period to elapse. The [clergyman] clergyperson, magistrate,
2 judge, or such one-day marriage officiant, as designated by a town or
3 city clerk pursuant to section eleven-d of this article, must file such
4 order with the town or city clerk who issued the license within five
5 days after the marriage is solemnized. Such town or city clerk must
6 record and index the order in the book required to be kept by [him or
7 her] them for recording affidavits, statements, consents and licenses,
8 and when so recorded the order shall become a public record and avail-
9 able in any prosecution under this section. A person who shall solemnize
10 a marriage in violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
11 and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars
12 for each offense, and in addition thereto, [his or her] their right to
13 solemnize a marriage shall be suspended for ninety days.
14 § 25. Paragraph a of subdivision 3 of section 14-a of the domestic
15 relations law, as amended by section 3 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
16 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
17 a. No fee shall be charged for any certificate when required by the
18 United States department of veterans affairs or by the department of
19 [veterans' services] veterans and military families of the state of New
20 York to be used in determining the eligibility of any person to partic-
21 ipate in the benefits made available by the United States department of
22 veterans affairs or by the state of New York.
23 § 26. Subdivision 1 of section 19 of the domestic relations law, as
24 amended by section 4 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
25 amended to read as follows:
26 1. Each town and city clerk hereby empowered to issue marriage
27 licenses shall keep a book supplied by the state department of health in
28 which such clerk shall record and index such information as is required
29 therein, which book shall be kept and preserved as a part of the public
30 records of [his or her] their office. Whenever an application is made
31 for a search of such records the city or town clerk, excepting the city
32 clerk of the city of New York, may make such search and furnish a
33 certificate of the result to the applicant upon the payment of a fee of
34 five dollars for a search of one year and a further fee of one dollar
35 for the second year for which such search is requested and fifty cents
36 for each additional year thereafter, which fees shall be paid in advance
37 of such search. Whenever an application is made for a search of such
38 records in the city of New York, the city clerk of the city of New York
39 may make such search and furnish a certificate of the result to the
40 applicant upon the payment of a fee of five dollars for a search of one
41 year and a further fee of one dollar for the second year for which
42 search is requested and fifty cents each additional year thereafter.
43 Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, no fee shall be
44 charged for any search or certificate when required by the United States
45 department of veterans affairs or by the department of [veterans'
46 services] veterans and military families of the state of New York to be
47 used in determining the eligibility of any person to participate in the
48 benefits made available by the United States department of veterans
49 affairs or by the state of New York. All such affidavits, statements and
50 consents, immediately upon the taking or receiving of the same by the
51 town or city clerk, shall be recorded and indexed as provided herein and
52 shall be public records and open to public inspection whenever the same
53 may be necessary or required for judicial or other proper purposes. At
54 such times as the commissioner shall direct, the said town or city
55 clerk, excepting the city clerk of the city of New York, shall file in
56 the office of the state department of health the original of each affi-
A. 8967 11
1 davit, statement, consent, order of a justice or judge authorizing imme-
2 diate solemnization of marriage, license and certificate, filed with or
3 made before such clerk during the preceding month. Such clerk shall not
4 be required to file any of said documents with the state department of
5 health until the license is returned with the certificate showing that
6 the marriage to which they refer has been actually performed.
7 The county clerks of the counties comprising the city of New York
8 shall cause all original applications and original licenses with the
9 marriage solemnization statements thereon heretofore filed with each,
10 and all papers and records and binders relating to such original docu-
11 ments pertaining to marriage licenses issued by said city clerk, in
12 their custody and possession to be removed, transferred, and delivered
13 to the borough offices of the city clerk in each of said counties.
14 § 27. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 360 of the education
15 law, as amended by section 40 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
16 2022, is amended to read as follows:
17 c. Adopt and enforce campus rules and regulations not inconsistent
18 with the vehicle and traffic law relating to parking, vehicular and
19 pedestrian traffic, and safety. Such rules and regulations may include
20 provisions for the disposition of abandoned vehicles, removal by towing
21 or otherwise of vehicles parked in violation of such rules at the
22 expense of the owner, the payment of fees for the registration or park-
23 ing of such vehicles, provided that such campus rules and regulations
24 may provide that any veteran attending the state university as a student
25 shall be exempt from any fees for parking or registering a motor vehi-
26 cle, and the assessment of administrative fines upon the owner or opera-
27 tor of such vehicles for each violation of the regulations. However, no
28 such fine may be imposed without a hearing or an opportunity to be heard
29 conducted by an officer or board designated by the board of trustees.
30 Such fines, in the case of an officer or employee of state university,
31 may be deducted from the salary or wages of such officer or employee
32 found in violation of such regulations, or in the case of a student of
33 state university found in violation of such regulations, the university
34 may withhold [his or her] their grades and transcripts until such time
35 as any fine is paid. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "veter-
36 an" shall mean a member of the armed forces of the United States who
37 served in such armed forces in time of war and who (i) was honorably
38 discharged or released under honorable circumstances from such service,
39 or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
40 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
41 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
42 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
43 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
44 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
45 such service.
46 § 28. The opening paragraph of subdivision 6, subdivision 7, paragraph
47 c of subdivision 9, the opening paragraph of paragraph a of subdivision
48 10, and the opening paragraph of paragraph a of subdivision 10-a of
49 section 503 of the education law, as amended by section 41 of part PP of
50 chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
51 Credit for service in war after world war I, which shall mean military
52 service during the period commencing the first day of July, nineteen
53 hundred forty, and terminating the thirtieth day of June, nineteen
54 hundred forty-seven, or during the period commencing the twenty-seventh
55 day of June, nineteen hundred fifty, and terminating the thirty-first
56 day of January, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during both such peri-
A. 8967 12
1 ods, as a member of the armed forces of the United States, of any person
2 who (i) has been honorably discharged or released under honorable
3 circumstances from such service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as
4 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
5 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
6 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
7 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
8 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
9 or dishonorable from such service, or service by one who was employed by
10 the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or
11 their agents as a merchant [seaman] mariner documented by the United
12 States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant
13 employed by the United States Army Transport Service (later redesignated
14 as the United States Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the
15 Naval Transportation Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew
16 member during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen
17 hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five,
18 aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or
19 coastwise service as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA
20 10301 & 10501) and further to include "near foreign" voyages between the
21 United States and Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes,
22 or public vessels in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has
23 received a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a
24 discharge certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of
25 Casualty, from the Department of Defense or who served as a United
26 States civilian employed by the American Field Service and served over-
27 seas under United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world
28 war II during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen
29 hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and
30 (iv) who was discharged or released therefrom under honorable condi-
31 tions, or (v) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
32 the [veterans' services] veterans military families law, and has
33 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
34 service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one
35 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
36 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
37 service, or who served as a United States civilian Flight Crew and
38 Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World Airways or one of
39 its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas as a result of
40 Pan American's contract with Air Transport Command or Naval Air Trans-
41 port Service during the period of armed conflict, December fourteenth,
42 nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred
43 forty-five, and who (vii) was discharged or released therefrom under
44 honorable conditions, or (viii) has a qualifying condition, as defined
45 in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military fami-
46 lies law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
47 dishonorable from such service, or (ix) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
48 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
49 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
50 dishonorable from such service, and who was a teacher in the public
51 schools of this state at the time of [his or her] their entrance into
52 the armed forces of the United States, provided no compensation was
53 received under the provisions of section two hundred forty-two of the
54 military law, and who returned to public school teaching following
55 discharge or completion of advanced education provided under service-
56 men's readjustment act of nineteen hundred forty-four, or who following
A. 8967 13
1 such discharge or release entered into a service which would qualify
2 [him or her] them pursuant to section forty-three of the retirement and
3 social security law to transfer [his or her] their membership in the New
4 York state teachers' retirement system, shall be provided as follows,
5 any provisions of section two hundred forty-three of the military law to
6 the contrary notwithstanding.
7 7. A teacher, who was a member of the New York state teachers retire-
8 ment system but who withdrew [his or her] their accumulated contrib-
9 utions immediately prior to [his or her] their entry into, or during
10 [his or her] their service in the armed forces of the United States in
11 war after World War I, who (i) has been honorably discharged or released
12 from service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
13 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
14 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
15 such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
16 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
17 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
18 from such service, provided no compensation was received under the
19 provisions of section two hundred forty-two of the military law, and who
20 returned to public school teaching in the state of New York following
21 such discharge or release, or following completion of advanced education
22 provided under servicemen's readjustment act of nineteen hundred forty-
23 four, any provisions of section two hundred forty-three of the military
24 law to the contrary notwithstanding, will be entitled to credit for
25 service in war after World War I, cost free, provided, however, that
26 such credit will not be allowed until [he or she claims and pays] they
27 claim and pay for all prior teaching service credited to [him or her]
28 them at the time of [his or her] their termination of membership in the
29 New York state teachers retirement system, and provided further that
30 claim for such service in war after World War I shall be filed by the
31 member with the retirement board before the first day of July, nineteen
32 hundred sixty-eight.
33 c. (i) has been honorably discharged or released under honorable
34 circumstances from such service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as
35 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
36 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
37 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
38 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
39 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
40 or dishonorable from such service, and
41 In addition to credit for military service pursuant to section two
42 hundred forty-three of the military law and subdivisions six through
43 nine of this section, a member employed as a full-time teacher by an
44 employer as defined in subdivision three of section five hundred one of
45 this article and who joined the retirement system prior to July first,
46 nineteen hundred seventy-three, may obtain credit for military service
47 not in excess of three years and not otherwise creditable under section
48 two hundred forty-three of the military law and subdivisions six through
49 nine of this section, rendered on active duty in the armed forces of the
50 United States during the period commencing July first, nineteen hundred
51 forty, and terminating December thirty-first, nineteen hundred forty-
52 six, or on service by one who was employed by the War Shipping Adminis-
53 tration or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a
54 merchant [seaman] mariner documented by the United States Coast Guard or
55 Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United
56 States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States
A. 8967 14
1 Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation
2 Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the peri-
3 od of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to
4 August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels
5 in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such
6 terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further
7 to include "near foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada,
8 Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in ocean-
9 going service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of
10 Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an
11 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of
12 Defense or on service by one who served as a United States civilian
13 employed by the American Field Service and served overseas under United
14 States Armies and United States Army Groups in world war II during the
15 period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one
16 through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (i) was
17 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has
18 a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
19 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
20 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
21 (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
22 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
23 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
24 service, or on service by one who served as a United States civilian
25 Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World
26 Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas
27 as a result of Pan American's contract with Air Transport Command or
28 Naval Air Transport Service during the period of armed conflict, Decem-
29 ber fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth,
30 nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was discharged or released
31 therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying condition,
32 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
33 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
34 or dishonorable from such service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
35 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
36 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
37 or dishonorable from such service, by a person who was a resident of New
38 York state at the time of entry into such service and at the time of
39 being discharged therefrom under honorable circumstances, and who makes
40 the payments required in accordance with the provisions of this subdivi-
41 sion.
42 In addition to credit for military service pursuant to section two
43 hundred forty-three of the military law and subdivisions six through
44 nine of this section, a member who joined the retirement system prior to
45 July first, nineteen hundred seventy-three, and who was not eligible for
46 credit for military service under subdivision ten of this section as a
47 result of being on a leave of absence without pay between July twenti-
48 eth, nineteen hundred seventy-six and October fifteenth, nineteen
49 hundred seventy-seven or on leave of absence with less than full pay
50 between July twentieth, nineteen hundred seventy-six and October
51 fifteenth, nineteen hundred seventy-seven, may obtain credit for mili-
52 tary service not in excess of three years and not otherwise creditable
53 under section two hundred forty-three of the military law and subdivi-
54 sions six through nine of this section, rendered on active duty in the
55 armed forces of the United States during the period commencing July
56 first, nineteen hundred forty, and terminating December thirty-first,
A. 8967 15
1 nineteen hundred forty-six, or on service by one who was employed by the
2 War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or their
3 agents as a merchant [seaman] mariner documented by the United States
4 Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by
5 the United States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the
6 United States Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval
7 Transportation Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member
8 during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred
9 forty-one, to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard
10 merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coast-
11 wise service as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301
12 & 10501) and further to include "near foreign" voyages between the
13 United States and Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes,
14 or public vessels in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has
15 received a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a
16 discharge certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of
17 Casualty, from the Department of Defense, or on service by one who
18 served as a United States civilian employed by the American Field
19 Service and served overseas under United States Armies and United States
20 Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed conflict, Decem-
21 ber seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen
22 hundred forty-five, and who (i) was discharged or released therefrom
23 under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as
24 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
25 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
26 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
27 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
28 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
29 or dishonorable from such service, or on service by one who served as a
30 United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee
31 of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affil-
32 iates and served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with
33 Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period
34 of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one
35 through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was
36 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has
37 a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
38 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
39 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
40 (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
41 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
42 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
43 service, by a person who was a resident of New York state at the time of
44 entry into such service and at the time of being discharged therefrom
45 under honorable circumstances, and who makes the payments required in
46 accordance with the provisions of this subdivision.
47 § 29. Subdivision 5 of section 605 of the education law, as amended by
48 section 42 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
49 read as follows:
50 5. Regents scholarships for war veterans. Regents scholarships for war
51 veterans shall be awarded on a competitive basis, for study beginning
52 with the college year nineteen hundred seventy-five--nineteen hundred
53 seventy-six. Six hundred such scholarships shall be awarded in such year
54 to veterans of the armed forces of the United States who have served on
55 active duty (other than for training) between October one, nineteen
56 hundred sixty-one and March twenty-nine, nineteen hundred seventy-three,
A. 8967 16
1 and who on the date by which applications are required to be submitted
2 (a) have been released from such active duty on conditions not other
3 than honorable, or (b) have a qualifying condition, as defined in
4 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
5 law, and have received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonor-
6 able from such service, or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined
7 in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military fami-
8 lies law, and have received a discharge other than bad conduct or
9 dishonorable from such service. Such scholarships shall be allocated to
10 each county in the state in the same ratio that the number of legal
11 residents in such county, as determined by the most recent federal
12 census, bears to the total number of residents in the state; provided,
13 however, that no county shall be allocated fewer scholarships than such
14 county received during the year nineteen hundred sixty-eight--sixty-
15 nine.
16 § 30. Subparagraph 3 of paragraph b of subdivision 3 of section 663 of
17 the education law, as amended by section 43 of part PP of chapter 56 of
18 the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
19 (3) The applicant was enlisted in full time active military service in
20 the armed forces of the United States and (i) has been honorably
21 discharged from such service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as
22 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
23 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
24 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
25 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
26 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
27 or dishonorable from such service, and, provided, however, that the
28 applicant has not and will not be claimed as a dependent by either
29 parent for purposes of either federal or state income tax.
30 § 31. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 and paragraph (b) of subdivision
31 2 of section 668 of the education law, as amended by section 44 of part
32 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
33 (b) December seven, nineteen hundred forty-one to December thirty-one,
34 nineteen hundred forty-six, or have been employed by the War Shipping
35 Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a
36 merchant [seaman] mariner documented by the United States Coast Guard or
37 Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United
38 States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States
39 Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation
40 Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the peri-
41 od of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to
42 August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels
43 in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such
44 terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further
45 to include "near foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada,
46 Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in ocean-
47 going service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of
48 Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an
49 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of
50 Defense or have served as a United States civilian employed by the Amer-
51 ican Field Service and served overseas under United States Armies and
52 United States Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed
53 conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May
54 eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (i) was discharged or
55 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying
56 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
A. 8967 17
1 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
2 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged
3 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
4 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
5 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or have served as a
6 United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee
7 of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affil-
8 iates and served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with
9 Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period
10 of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one
11 through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was
12 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has
13 a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
14 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
15 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
16 (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
17 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
18 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
19 service.
20 (b) (i) is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States or
21 member of the armed forces of the United States, or (ii) has a qualify-
22 ing condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
23 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
24 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a
25 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
26 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
27 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, who
28 is a resident of the state of New York, and who has a current disability
29 of forty percent or more as a result of an injury or illness which is
30 incurred or was incurred during such military service; or
31 § 32. Subdivision 1 of section 668-c of the education law, as amended
32 by section 45 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended
33 to read as follows:
34 1. Eligible students. Awards shall be made to Vietnam veterans' resi-
35 dent children born with Spina Bifida enrolled in approved undergraduate
36 or graduate programs at degree granting institutions. For the purpose of
37 this section, "Vietnam veteran" shall mean a person who served in Indo-
38 china at any time from the first day of November, nineteen hundred
39 fifty-five, to and including the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred
40 seventy-five and (a) was honorably discharged from the armed forces of
41 the United States, or (b) has a qualifying condition, as defined in
42 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
43 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
44 from the armed forces of the United States, or (c) is a discharged LGBT
45 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans
46 and military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
47 conduct or dishonorable from the armed forces of the United States;
48 "born with Spina Bifida" shall mean a diagnosis at birth of such disease
49 inclusive of all forms, manifestations, complications and associated
50 medical conditions thereof, but shall not include Spina Bifida Occulta.
51 Such diagnosis shall be in accordance with the provisions of the federal
52 Spina Bifida program and shall be documented by the United States Admin-
53 istration of Veterans' Affairs.
54 § 33. Paragraphs a, b, c, and d of subdivision 1 of section 669-a of
55 the education law, as amended by section 46 of part PP of chapter 56 of
56 the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
A. 8967 18
1 a. "Vietnam veteran" means (i) a person who is a resident of this
2 state, (ii) who served in the armed forces of the United States in Indo-
3 china at any time from the first day of November, nineteen hundred
4 fifty-five, to and including the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred
5 seventy-five, and (iii) who was either discharged therefrom under honor-
6 able conditions, including but not limited to honorable discharge,
7 discharge under honorable conditions, or general discharge, or has a
8 qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
9 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
10 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
11 is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veter-
12 ans' services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
13 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
14 b. "Persian Gulf veteran" means (i) a person who is a resident of this
15 state (ii) who served in the armed forces of the United States in the
16 hostilities that occurred in the Persian Gulf from the second day of
17 August, nineteen hundred ninety through the end of such hostilities, and
18 (iii) who was either discharged therefrom under honorable conditions,
19 including but not limited to honorable discharge, discharge under honor-
20 able conditions, or general discharge, or has a qualifying condition, as
21 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
22 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
23 dishonorable from such service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
24 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
25 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
26 dishonorable from such service.
27 c. "Afghanistan veteran" means (i) a person who is a resident of this
28 state (ii) who served in the armed forces of the United States in the
29 hostilities that occurred in Afghanistan from the eleventh day of
30 September, two thousand one, to the end of such hostilities, and (iii)
31 who was either discharged therefrom under honorable conditions, includ-
32 ing but not limited to honorable discharge, discharge under honorable
33 conditions, or general discharge, or has a qualifying condition, as
34 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
35 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
36 dishonorable from such service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
37 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
38 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
39 dishonorable from such service.
40 d. "Other eligible combat veteran" means: an individual who (i) is a
41 resident of this state, (ii) served in the armed forces of the United
42 States in hostilities that occurred after February twenty-eighth, nine-
43 teen hundred sixty-one, as evidenced by their receipt of an Armed Forces
44 Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, or Marine Corps Expedi-
45 tionary Medal, and (iii) was either discharged under honorable condi-
46 tions, including but not limited to honorable discharge, discharge under
47 honorable conditions, or general discharge, or has a qualifying condi-
48 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and
49 military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
50 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or is a discharged LGBT
51 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans
52 and military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
53 conduct or dishonorable from such service.
54 § 33-a. Paragraph d of subdivision 1 of section 669-a of the education
55 law, as amended by chapter 453 of the laws of 2024 and subparagraph (ii)
A. 8967 19
1 as amended by chapter 75 of the laws of 2025, is amended to read as
2 follows:
3 d. "Other eligible veteran" means: an individual who (i) is a resident
4 of this state, (ii) served in the armed forces of the United States (1)
5 on active duty for at least four years, or (2) in hostilities that
6 occurred after February twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred sixty-one, as
7 evidenced by their receipt of an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy
8 Expeditionary Medal, or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, and (iii) was
9 either discharged under honorable conditions, including but not limited
10 to honorable discharge, discharge under honorable conditions, or general
11 discharge, or has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
12 the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
13 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
14 service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of
15 the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
16 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
17 service.
18 § 34. Subdivision 1 of section 3202 of the education law, as amended
19 by section 47 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended
20 to read as follows:
21 1. A person over five and under twenty-one years of age who has not
22 received a high school diploma is entitled to attend the public schools
23 maintained in the district in which such person resides without the
24 payment of tuition. Provided further that such person may continue to
25 attend the public school in such district in the same manner, if tempo-
26 rarily residing outside the boundaries of the district when relocation
27 to such temporary residence is a consequence of such person's parent or
28 person in parental relationship being called to active military duty,
29 other than training. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
30 contrary, the school district shall not be required to provide transpor-
31 tation between a temporary residence located outside of the school
32 district and the school the child attends. A veteran of any age who
33 shall have served as a member of the armed forces of the United States
34 and who (a) shall have been discharged therefrom under conditions other
35 than dishonorable, or (b) has a qualifying condition, as defined in
36 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
37 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
38 from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
39 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
40 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
41 from such service, may attend any of the public schools of the state
42 upon conditions prescribed by the board of education, and such veterans
43 shall be included in the pupil count for state aid purposes. A nonveter-
44 an under twenty-one years of age who has received a high school diploma
45 shall be permitted to attend classes in the schools of the district in
46 which such person resides or in a school of a board of cooperative
47 educational services upon payment of tuition under such terms and condi-
48 tions as shall be established in regulations promulgated by the commis-
49 sioner; provided, however, that a school district may waive the payment
50 of tuition for such nonveteran, but in any case such a nonveteran who
51 has received a high school diploma shall not be counted for any state
52 aid purposes. Nothing herein contained shall, however, require a board
53 of education to admit a child who becomes five years of age after the
54 school year has commenced unless [his or her] their birthday occurs on
55 or before the first of December.
A. 8967 20
1 § 35. Subdivision 1 of section 3308 of the education law, as amended
2 by section 5 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
3 read as follows:
4 1. Each member state shall, through the creation of a state council or
5 use of an existing body or board, provide for the coordination among its
6 agencies of government, local educational agencies and military instal-
7 lations concerning the state's participation in, and compliance with,
8 this compact and interstate commission activities. In New York, the
9 state council shall include the commissioner or [his or her] their
10 designee, the commissioner of the New York state department of [veter-
11 ans' services] veterans and military families or [his or her] their
12 designee, the adjutant general of the state of New York or [his or her]
13 their designee, a superintendent of a school district with a high
14 concentration of military children appointed by the commissioner, a
15 district superintendent of schools of a board of cooperative educational
16 services serving an area with a high concentration of military children
17 appointed by the commissioner, a representative from a military instal-
18 lation appointed by the governor, a representative of military families
19 appointed by the governor, a public member appointed by the governor and
20 one representative each appointed by the speaker of the assembly, the
21 temporary president of the senate and the governor.
22 § 36. Clause (h) of subparagraph 3 of paragraph b of subdivision 1 of
23 section 4402 of the education law, as amended by section 48 of part PP
24 of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
25 (h) Provide the form developed pursuant to subdivision twenty-two of
26 section four of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
27 law to the parent or person in parental relation of a child designated
28 by the committee as either disabled or emotionally disturbed.
29 § 37. Subdivision 1 of section 6505-c of the education law, as amended
30 by section 6 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
31 read as follows:
32 1. The commissioner shall develop, jointly with the commissioner of
33 the department of [veterans' services] veterans and military families, a
34 program to facilitate articulation between participation in the military
35 service of the United States or the military service of the state and
36 admission to practice of a profession. The commissioner and the commis-
37 sioner of [veterans' services] veterans and military families shall
38 identify, review and evaluate professional training programs offered
39 through either the military service of the United States or the military
40 service of the state which may, where applicable, be accepted by the
41 department as equivalent education and training in lieu of all or part
42 of an approved program. Particular emphasis shall be placed on the iden-
43 tification of military programs which have previously been deemed
44 acceptable by the department as equivalent education and training,
45 programs which may provide, where applicable, equivalent education and
46 training for those professions which are critical to public health and
47 safety and programs which may provide, where applicable, equivalent
48 education and training for those professions for which shortages exist
49 in the state of New York.
50 § 38. Subdivision 15 of section 1-104 of the election law, as amended
51 by section 49 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended
52 to read as follows:
53 15. The term "veterans' hospital" means any sanitarium, hospital,
54 soldiers' and sailors' home, United States Veterans' Administration
55 Hospital, or other home or institution, which is used, operated and
56 conducted exclusively for the care, maintenance and treatment of persons
A. 8967 21
1 serving in the military or naval service or coast guard of the United
2 States or the state of New York, or persons who (a) were honorably
3 discharged from such service, or (b) have a qualifying condition, as
4 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
5 families law, and have received a discharge other than bad conduct or
6 dishonorable from such service, or (c) are a discharged LGBT veteran, as
7 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
8 families law, and have received a discharge other than bad conduct or
9 dishonorable from such service.
10 § 39. Subdivision 4 of section 5-210 of the election law, as separate-
11 ly amended by section 50 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022
12 and chapter 113 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
13 4. Any qualified person who has been honorably discharged from the
14 military after the twenty-fifth day before a general election, or who
15 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
16 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
17 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from the military after
18 the twenty-fifth day before a general election, or who is a discharged
19 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
20 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
21 than bad conduct or dishonorable from the military after the twenty-
22 fifth day before a general election, or who has become a naturalized
23 citizen after the twenty-fifth day before a general election may
24 personally register at the board of elections in the county of their
25 residence and vote in the general election held at least ten days after
26 such registration.
27 § 40. The opening paragraph of section 5-211 of the election law, as
28 amended by section 7 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
29 amended to read as follows:
30 Each agency designated as a participating agency under the provisions
31 of this section shall implement and administer a program of distribution
32 of voter registration forms pursuant to the provisions of this section.
33 The following offices which provide public assistance and/or provide
34 state funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons
35 with disabilities are hereby designated as voter registration agencies:
36 designated as the state agencies which provide public assistance are the
37 office of children and family services, the office of temporary and
38 disability assistance and the department of health. Also designated as
39 public assistance agencies are all agencies of local government that
40 provide such assistance. Designated as state agencies that provide
41 programs primarily engaged in providing services to people with disabil-
42 ities are the department of labor, office for the aging, department of
43 [veterans' services] veterans and military families, office of mental
44 health, office of vocational and educational services for individuals
45 with disabilities, commission on quality of care for the mentally disa-
46 bled, office for people with developmental disabilities, commission for
47 the blind, office of addiction services and supports, the office of the
48 advocate for the disabled and all offices which administer programs
49 established or funded by such agencies. Additional participating agen-
50 cies designated as voter registration offices are the department of
51 state and the district offices of the workers' compensation board. Such
52 agencies shall be required to offer voter registration forms to persons
53 upon initial application for services, renewal or recertification for
54 services and upon change of address relating to such services. Such
55 agencies shall also be responsible for providing assistance to appli-
56 cants in completing voter registration forms, receiving and transmitting
A. 8967 22
1 the completed application form from all applicants who wish to have such
2 form transmitted to the appropriate board of elections. The state board
3 of elections shall, together with representatives of the United States
4 department of defense, develop and implement procedures for including
5 recruitment offices of the armed forces of the United States as voter
6 registration offices when such offices are so designated by federal law.
7 The state board of elections shall also make request of the United
8 States Citizenship and Immigration Services to include applications for
9 registration by mail with any materials which are given to new citizens.
10 § 41. Subdivision 16 of section 11-0305 of the environmental conserva-
11 tion law, as amended by section 51 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws
12 of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
13 16. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, to authorize
14 free sport fishing clinics. A free sport fishing clinic shall include,
15 but not be limited to, instruction provided by employees of the depart-
16 ment or its designee in recreational angling, including its benefits and
17 values, and may also include instruction and other information relevant
18 to an understanding of fisheries management, ethics and aquatic ecology
19 and habitat. No license or recreational marine fishing registration is
20 required to take fish by angling while participating in a fishing clinic
21 conducted by the department or its designee that has been designated by
22 the commissioner as a free sport fishing clinic. Such clinics shall be
23 implemented consistent with department standards and in a manner deter-
24 mined by the department to best provide public notice thereof and to
25 maximize public participation therein, so as to promote the recreational
26 opportunities afforded by sport fishing. Further, the commissioner may
27 designate additional fishing events organized through the department
28 that provide physical or emotional rehabilitation for veterans, as
29 defined in subdivision three of section one of the [veterans' services]
30 veterans and military families law, or active duty members of the armed
31 forces of the United States. No license or recreational marine fishing
32 registration shall be required for such veterans or active duty members
33 to take fish by angling while participating in these events.
34 § 42. Subdivision 4 of section 11-0715 of the environmental conserva-
35 tion law, as amended by section 52 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws
36 of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
37 4. A person, resident in the state for at least thirty days immediate-
38 ly prior to the date of application, who (a) has been honorably
39 discharged from service in the armed forces of the United States, or (b)
40 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
41 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
42 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
43 (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
44 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
45 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
46 service, and is certified as having a forty percent or greater service-
47 connected disability is entitled to receive all licenses, privileges,
48 tags, and permits authorized by this title for which [he or she is] they
49 are eligible, except turkey permits, renewable each year for a five
50 dollar fee.
51 § 43. Paragraphs (o) and (p) of subdivision 5 of section 94-b of the
52 executive law, as added by chapter 625 of the laws of 2024, are amended
53 to read as follows:
54 (o) Encourage the development of and provide for the establishment of
55 a state military immigrant family legacy program liaison, as provided in
A. 8967 23
1 section twenty-nine-b of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
2 families law; and
3 (p) Request individuals seeking assistance from the office answer the
4 following questions: "Have you served in the United States military?"
5 "Has someone in your family served in the United States military?"
6 Individuals identifying themselves or a family member as "intended
7 recipients" of the staff sergeant Alex R. Jimenez New York state mili-
8 tary immigrant family legacy program as such term is defined in para-
9 graph (e) of subdivision one of section [twenty-nine-b] twenty-nine-d of
10 the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, shall be
11 advised of such program. In addition, such individuals shall be informed
12 that the department of [veterans' services] veterans and military fami-
13 lies and local veterans' service agencies established pursuant to
14 section seventeen of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
15 families law provide assistance to uniformed service members, veterans
16 and their families regarding benefits available under federal and state
17 law. Information regarding veterans and military status provided by
18 assisted individuals shall be protected as personal confidential materi-
19 al, and used only to identify such individuals as "intended recipients"
20 of the staff sergeant Alex R. Jimenez New York State military immigrant
21 family legacy program, and to assist such individuals in matters relat-
22 ing to immigration status and citizenship, and in referring such indi-
23 viduals to the department of [veterans' services] veterans and military
24 families or local veterans' service agencies for information and assist-
25 ance with regard to benefits and entitlements under federal and state
26 law.
27 § 44. Subdivision 1 of section 130 of the executive law, as amended by
28 section 54 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
29 read as follows:
30 1. The secretary of state may appoint and commission as many notaries
31 public for the state of New York as in [his or her] their judgment may
32 be deemed best, whose jurisdiction shall be co-extensive with the bound-
33 aries of the state. The appointment of a notary public shall be for a
34 term of four years. An application for an appointment as notary public
35 shall be in form and set forth such matters as the secretary of state
36 shall prescribe. Every person appointed as notary public must, at the
37 time of [his or her] their appointment, be a resident of the state of
38 New York or have an office or place of business in New York state. A
39 notary public who is a resident of the state and who moves out of the
40 state but still maintains a place of business or an office in New York
41 state does not vacate [his or her] their office as a notary public. A
42 notary public who is a nonresident and who ceases to have an office or
43 place of business in this state, vacates [his or her] their office as a
44 notary public. A notary public who is a resident of New York state and
45 moves out of the state and who does not retain an office or place of
46 business in this state shall vacate [his or her] their office as a nota-
47 ry public. A non-resident who accepts the office of notary public in
48 this state thereby appoints the secretary of state as the person upon
49 whom process can be served on [his or her] their behalf. Before issuing
50 to any applicant a commission as notary public, unless [he or she] they
51 are be an attorney and counsellor at law duly admitted to practice in
52 this state or a court clerk of the unified court system who has been
53 appointed to such position after taking a civil service promotional
54 examination in the court clerk series of titles, the secretary of state
55 shall satisfy [himself or herself] themself that the applicant is of
56 good moral character, has the equivalent of a common school education
A. 8967 24
1 and is familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public;
2 provided, however, that where a notary public applies, before the expi-
3 ration of [his or her] their term, for reappointment with the county
4 clerk or where a person whose term as notary public shall have expired
5 applies within six months thereafter for reappointment as a notary
6 public with the county clerk, such qualifying requirements may be waived
7 by the secretary of state, and further, where an application for reap-
8 pointment is filed with the county clerk after the expiration of the
9 aforementioned renewal period by a person who failed or was unable to
10 re-apply by reason of [his or her] their induction or enlistment in the
11 armed forces of the United States, such qualifying requirements may also
12 be waived by the secretary of state, provided such application for reap-
13 pointment is made within a period of one year after the military
14 discharge of the applicant under conditions other than dishonorable, or
15 if the applicant has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one
16 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, within a
17 period of one year after the applicant has received a discharge other
18 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or if the applicant
19 is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veter-
20 ans' services] veterans and military families law, within a period of
21 one year after the applicant has received a discharge other than bad
22 conduct or dishonorable from such service. In any case, the appointment
23 or reappointment of any applicant is in the discretion of the secretary
24 of state. The secretary of state may suspend or remove from office, for
25 misconduct, any notary public appointed by [him or her] them but no such
26 removal shall be made unless the person who is sought to be removed
27 shall have been served with a copy of the charges against [him or her]
28 them and have an opportunity of being heard. No person shall be
29 appointed as a notary public under this article who has been convicted,
30 in this state or any other state or territory, of a crime, unless the
31 secretary makes a finding in conformance with all applicable statutory
32 requirements, including those contained in article twenty-three-A of the
33 correction law, that such convictions do not constitute a bar to
34 appointment.
35 § 45. Subdivision 1 of section 191 of the executive law, as amended by
36 section 10 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
37 read as follows:
38 1. There is hereby established within the division of military and
39 naval affairs a temporary advisory committee on the restoration and
40 display of New York state's military battle flags (hereinafter referred
41 to as the "committee"). The committee shall have thirteen members as
42 follows: the adjutant general, the director of the New York state mili-
43 tary heritage museum, the commissioners of education and parks, recre-
44 ation and historic preservation and the commissioner of the department
45 of [veterans' services] veterans and military families, or their desig-
46 nated representatives, two members appointed each by the governor,
47 speaker of the assembly and majority leader of the senate and one member
48 each appointed by the minority leaders of the senate and assembly and
49 shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Appointed
50 members shall include individuals with experience in restoration of
51 historical memorabilia, expertise in military history, or a background
52 in historical restoration or fine arts conservation. No appointed member
53 shall be a member of the executive, legislative or judicial branch of
54 the state government at the time of [his/her] their appointment. The
55 advisory committee shall meet at least four times a year. No members
56 shall receive any compensation, but members who are not state officials
A. 8967 25
1 may receive actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of
2 their duties.
3 § 46. Subdivision 1 of section 643 of the executive law, as amended by
4 section 11 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
5 read as follows:
6 1. As used in this section, "crime victim-related agency" means any
7 agency of state government which provides services to or deals directly
8 with crime victims, including (a) the office of children and family
9 services, the office for the aging, the department of [veterans'
10 services] veterans and military families, the office of probation and
11 correctional alternatives, the department of corrections and community
12 supervision, the office of victim services, the department of motor
13 vehicles, the office of vocational rehabilitation, the workers' compen-
14 sation board, the department of health, the division of criminal justice
15 services, the office of mental health, every transportation authority
16 and the division of state police, and (b) any other agency so designated
17 by the governor within ninety days of the effective date of this
18 section.
19 § 47. Subdivision 1 of section 32 of the general business law, as
20 amended by section 55 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
21 amended to read as follows:
22 1. Every member of the armed forces of the United States who (a) was
23 honorably discharged from such service, or (b) has a qualifying condi-
24 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and
25 military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
26 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT
27 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans
28 and military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
29 conduct or dishonorable from such service, and who is a resident of this
30 state and a veteran of any war, or who shall have served in the armed
31 forces of the United States overseas, and the surviving spouse of any
32 such veteran, if a resident of the state, shall have the right to hawk,
33 peddle, vend and sell goods, wares or merchandise or solicit trade upon
34 the streets and highways within the county of [his or her] their resi-
35 dence, as the case may be, or if such county is embraced wholly by a
36 city, within such city, by procuring a license for that purpose to be
37 issued as herein provided. No part of the lands or premises under the
38 jurisdiction of the division of the state fair in the department of
39 agriculture and markets, shall be deemed a street or highway within the
40 meaning of this section.
41 § 48. Section 35 of the general business law, as amended by section 56
42 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
43 follows:
44 § 35. Municipal regulations. This article shall not affect the appli-
45 cation of any ordinance, by-law or regulation of a municipal corporation
46 relating to hawkers and peddlers within the limits of such corporations,
47 but the provisions of this article are to be complied with in addition
48 to the requirements of any such ordinance, by-law or regulation;
49 provided, however, that no such by-law, ordinance or regulation shall
50 prevent or in any manner interfere with the hawking or peddling, without
51 the use of any but a hand driven vehicle, in any street, avenue, alley,
52 lane or park of a municipal corporation, by any honorably discharged
53 member of the armed forces of the United States who (1) was honorably
54 discharged from such service, or (2) has a qualifying condition, as
55 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
56 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
A. 8967 26
1 dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
2 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
3 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
4 dishonorable from such service, and who is physically disabled as a
5 result of injuries received while in the service of said armed forces
6 and the holder of a license granted pursuant to section thirty-two of
7 this article.
8 § 49. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 35-a of the general
9 business law, as amended by section 57 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
10 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
11 (a) In cities having a population of one million or more, the official
12 designated by a local law or ordinance to issue a local license to hawk,
13 peddle, vend and sell goods, wares or merchandise or solicit trade upon
14 the streets and highways within such city shall issue specialized vend-
15 ing licenses to members of the armed forces of the United States who (i)
16 were honorably discharged from such service, or (ii) have a qualifying
17 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
18 ans and military families law, and received a discharge other than bad
19 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) are a discharged
20 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
21 veterans and military families law, and received a discharge other than
22 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, and who are physically
23 disabled as a result of injuries received while in the service of said
24 armed forces and who are eligible to hold licenses granted pursuant to
25 section thirty-two of this article. Such specialized vending licenses
26 shall authorize holders thereof to hawk or peddle within such city in
27 accordance with the provisions contained in this section. Specialized
28 vending licenses issued under this section shall permit the holders
29 thereof to vend on any block face, and no licensee authorized under this
30 section shall be restricted in any way from vending in any area, except
31 as provided in this section.
32 § 50. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 69-p of the general
33 business law, as amended by section 58 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
34 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
35 (b) In the case of persons who are or were in the military service and
36 (i) have been or will be discharged under conditions other than
37 dishonorable, or (ii) have a qualifying condition, as defined in section
38 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
39 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
40 service, or (iii) are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined in section
41 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
42 have received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
43 such service, the period of two years specified in subdivision one of
44 this section need not be continuous. The length of time such person was
45 engaged in the business of installing, servicing or maintaining security
46 or fire alarm systems before entering the military service may be added
47 to any period of time during which such person was or is engaged in the
48 business of installing, servicing or maintaining security or fire alarm
49 systems after the termination of military service.
50 § 51. The closing paragraph of section 435 of the general business
51 law, as amended by section 59 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
52 2022, is amended to read as follows:
53 In the case of persons who are or were in the military service and (a)
54 have been or will be discharged under conditions other than dishonor-
55 able, or (b) have a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
56 the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
A. 8967 27
1 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
2 service, or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined in section one
3 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and have
4 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
5 service, the period of one year specified in subdivision one of this
6 section and the period of six months specified in subdivision two of
7 this section need not be continuous. The length of time such person was
8 engaged in the practice of barbering before entering the military
9 service may be added to any period of time during which such person was
10 or is engaged in the practice of barbering after the termination of
11 military service.
12 § 52. Section 13-a of the general construction law, as amended by
13 section 60 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
14 read as follows:
15 § 13-a. Armed forces of the United States. "Armed forces of the United
16 States" means the army, navy, marine corps, air force and coast guard
17 including all components thereof, and the national guard when in the
18 service of the United States pursuant to call as provided by law.
19 Pursuant to this definition no person shall be considered a member or
20 veteran of the armed forces of the United States unless [his or her]
21 their service therein is or was on a full-time active duty basis, other
22 than active duty for training or [he or she was] they were employed by
23 the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or
24 their agents as a merchant [seaman] mariner documented by the United
25 States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant
26 employed by the United States Army Transport Service (later redesignated
27 as the United States Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the
28 Naval Transportation Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew
29 member during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen
30 hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five,
31 aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or
32 coastwise service as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA
33 10301 & 10501) and further to include "near foreign" voyages between the
34 United States and Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes,
35 or public vessels in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has
36 received a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a
37 discharge certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of
38 Casualty, from the Department of Defense or [he or she] they served as a
39 United States civilian employed by the American Field Service and served
40 overseas under United States Armies and United States Army Groups in
41 world war II during the period of armed conflict, December seventh,
42 nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-
43 five, and (i) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable
44 conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
45 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
46 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
47 such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
48 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
49 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
50 from such service, or [he or she] they served as a United States civil-
51 ian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American
52 World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served
53 overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with Air Transport
54 Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period of armed
55 conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August
56 fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and (iv) was discharged or
A. 8967 28
1 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying
2 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
3 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
4 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (vi) is a discharged
5 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
6 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
7 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
8 § 53. Subdivision 1 of section 77 of the general municipal law, as
9 amended by section 61 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
10 amended to read as follows:
11 1. A municipal corporation may lease, for not exceeding five years, to
12 a post or posts of the Grand Army of the Republic, Veterans of Foreign
13 Wars of the United States, American Legion, Catholic War Veterans, Inc.,
14 Disabled American Veterans, the Army and Navy Union, U.S.A., Marine
15 Corps League, AMVETS, American Veterans of World War II, Jewish War
16 Veterans of the United States, Inc., Italian American War Veterans of
17 the United States, Incorporated, Masonic War Veterans of the State of
18 New York, Inc., Veterans of World War I of the United States of America
19 Department of New York, Inc., Polish-American Veterans of World War II,
20 Amsterdam, N.Y., Inc., Polish-American Veterans of World War II, Sche-
21 nectady, N.Y., Inc., Polish Legion of American Veterans, Inc., Vietnam
22 Veterans of America or other veteran organization of members of the
23 uniformed services of the United States who (a) were honorably
24 discharged from such service or (b) have a qualifying condition, as
25 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
26 families law, and received a discharge other than bad conduct or
27 dishonorable from such service, or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans, as
28 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
29 families law, and received a discharge other than bad conduct or
30 dishonorable from such service, or to an incorporated organization or an
31 association of either active or exempt volunteer firefighters, a public
32 building or part thereof, belonging to such municipal corporation,
33 except schoolhouses in actual use as such, without expense, or at a
34 nominal rent, fixed by the board or council having charge of such build-
35 ings and provide furniture and furnishings, and heat, light and janitor
36 service therefor, in like manner.
37 § 54. Section 99-v of the general municipal law, as amended by section
38 12 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
39 follows:
40 § 99-v. Veterans services; display of events. Each county, city, town
41 or village may adopt a local law to provide a bulletin board to be
42 conspicuously displayed in such county, city, town or village building
43 holding its local legislative body or municipal offices. Such bulletin
44 board shall be used by veterans organizations, the New York state
45 department of [veterans' services] veterans and military families, the
46 county veterans service agency or city veterans service agency to
47 display information regarding veterans in such county, city, town or
48 village. Such information may include, but not be limited to, benefits
49 or upcoming veterans related events in the community.
50 § 55. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 and paragraph (a) of subdivision
51 1-a of section 148 of the general municipal law, paragraph (a) of subdi-
52 vision 1 as amended by section 62 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws
53 of 2022 and paragraph (a) of subdivision 1-a as amended by chapter 620
54 of the laws of 2023, are amended to read as follows:
55 (a) The board of supervisors in each of the counties, or the board of
56 estimate in the city of New York, shall designate some proper person,
A. 8967 29
1 association or commission, other than that designated for the care of
2 burial of public charges or criminals, who shall cause to be interred
3 the body of any member of the uniformed services of the United States
4 who (i) was honorably discharged from such service or (ii) had a quali-
5 fying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
6 veterans and military families law, and received a discharge other than
7 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) was a discharged
8 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
9 veterans and military families law, and received a discharge other than
10 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or the body of any minor
11 child or either parent, or the spouse or unremarried surviving spouse of
12 any such member of the uniformed services of the United States, if such
13 person shall hereafter die in a county or in the city of New York with-
14 out leaving sufficient means to defray [his or her] their funeral
15 expenses.
16 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in the case
17 of a veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
18 veterans and military families law, or who has a qualifying condition as
19 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
20 families law and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
21 dishonorable, or is a discharged LGBT veteran as defined in section one
22 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law and has
23 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable, who died in
24 a county or the city of New York leaving no funds or insurance suffi-
25 cient to pay funeral and burial expenses of such veteran and such veter-
26 an has no next of kin or person of record previously designated to
27 control [his or her] their final disposition pursuant to section four
28 thousand two hundred one of the public health law, such county or the
29 city of New York shall request a congressionally chartered veterans'
30 organization within the county or the city of New York where the dece-
31 dent resided at the time of death, to engage the services of a funeral
32 firm to conduct the funeral and burial services.
33 § 56. Section 117-c of the highway law, as amended by section 63 of
34 part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
35 follows:
36 § 117-c. Hawking, peddling, vending, sale of goods, wares or merchan-
37 dise; Erie county; certain areas. Notwithstanding any law to the contra-
38 ry, except section thirty-five of the general business law, the county
39 of Erie shall have the power to enact a local law prohibiting hawking,
40 peddling, vending and sale of goods, wares or merchandise or solicita-
41 tion of trade in the right-of-way of county roads adjacent to arenas,
42 stadiums, auditoriums or like facilities, which contain fifty thousand
43 or more seats, which are used for events likely to attract large numbers
44 of spectators, including but not limited to home games of a National
45 Football League franchise. Provided, however, that the power to enact
46 such local law shall be subject to the requirement that provision be
47 made, by lease agreement, regulation or otherwise, for the hawking,
48 peddling, vending and sales of goods, wares or merchandise or solicita-
49 tion of trade in designated vending areas on the ground of county-owned
50 lands leased for use as an arena, stadium or auditorium or like facility
51 which contain fifty thousand or more seats; and further provided that
52 members of the armed forces of the United States who (a) were honorably
53 discharged from such service, or (b) have a qualifying condition, as
54 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
55 families law, and received a discharge other than bad conduct or
56 dishonorable from such service, or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans, as
A. 8967 30
1 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
2 families law, and received a discharge other than bad conduct or
3 dishonorable from such service, and who are entitled to hawk, vend, sell
4 or peddle merchandise in the public right-of-way pursuant to sections
5 thirty-two and thirty-five of the general business law, shall be given
6 first preference in any assignment or vending locations or in the allo-
7 cation of such locations.
8 § 57. Paragraph 11 of subsection (j) of section 2103 of the insurance
9 law, as amended by section 64 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
10 2022, is amended to read as follows:
11 (11) No license fee shall be required of any person who served as a
12 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time and who (A)
13 shall have been discharged therefrom, under conditions other than
14 dishonorable, or (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
15 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
16 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
17 such service, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
18 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
19 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
20 such service, in a current licensing period, for the duration of such
21 period.
22 § 58. Subparagraph (F) of paragraph 3 of subsection (e) and paragraph
23 2 of subsection (f) of section 2104 of the insurance law, as amended by
24 section 65 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
25 read as follows:
26 (F) served as a member of the armed forces of the United States at any
27 time, and shall (i) have been discharged under conditions other than
28 dishonorable, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
29 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
30 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
31 such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
32 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
33 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
34 from such service, and who within three years prior to [his or her]
35 their entry into the armed forces held a license as insurance broker for
36 similar lines, provided [his or her] their application for such license
37 is filed before one year from the date of final discharge; or
38 (2) No license fee shall be required of any person who served as a
39 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time, and who (A)
40 shall have been discharged, under conditions other than dishonorable, or
41 (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veter-
42 ans' services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
43 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
44 (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
45 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
46 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
47 service, in a current licensing period, for the duration of such period.
48 § 59. Paragraph 2 of subsection (i) of section 2108 of the insurance
49 law, as amended by section 66 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
50 2022, is amended to read as follows:
51 (2) No license fee shall be required of any person who served as a
52 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time and who (A)
53 shall have been discharged, under conditions other than dishonorable, or
54 (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veter-
55 ans' services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
56 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
A. 8967 31
1 (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
2 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
3 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
4 service, in a current licensing period, for the duration of such period.
5 § 60. Paragraph 10 of subsection (h) of section 2137 of the insurance
6 law, as amended by section 67 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
7 2022, is amended to read as follows:
8 (10) No license fee shall be required of any person who served as a
9 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time and who (A)
10 shall have been discharged therefrom, under conditions other than
11 dishonorable, or (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
12 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
13 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
14 such service, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
15 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
16 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
17 such service, in a current licensing period, for the duration of such
18 period.
19 § 61. Paragraph 11 of subsection (i) of section 2139 of the insurance
20 law, as amended by section 68 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
21 2022, is amended to read as follows:
22 (11) No license fee shall be required of any person who served as a
23 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time, and who (A)
24 shall have been discharged therefrom under conditions other than
25 dishonorable, or (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
26 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
27 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
28 such service, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
29 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
30 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
31 such service, in a current licensing period for the duration of such
32 period.
33 § 62. Subdivision 2 of section 466 of the judiciary law, as amended by
34 section 69 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
35 read as follows:
36 2. Any person now in actual service in the armed forces of the United
37 States or whose induction or enlistment therein is imminent, or within
38 sixty days after such person (1) has been honorably discharged, or (2)
39 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
40 such service, if such person has a qualifying condition, as defined in
41 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
42 law, or (3) has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonor-
43 able from such service, if such person is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
44 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
45 families law, if the appellate division of the supreme court in the
46 department in which such person resides is not in session, may subscribe
47 and take the oath before a justice of that court, with the same force
48 and effect as if it were taken in open court, except that in the first
49 department the oath must be taken before the presiding justice or, in
50 [his or her] their absence, before the senior justice.
51 § 63. Subdivision 1 of section 168 of the labor law, as amended by
52 section 13 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
53 read as follows:
54 1. This section shall apply to all persons employed by the state in
55 the ward, cottage, colony, kitchen and dining room, and guard service
56 personnel in any hospital, school, prison, reformatory or other institu-
A. 8967 32
1 tion within or subject to the jurisdiction, supervision, control or
2 visitation of the department of corrections and community supervision,
3 the department of health, the department of mental hygiene, the depart-
4 ment of social welfare or the department of [veterans' services] veter-
5 ans and military families, and engaged in the performance of such duties
6 as nursing, guarding or attending the incarcerated individuals,
7 patients, wards or other persons kept or housed in such institutions, or
8 in protecting and guarding the buildings and/or grounds thereof, or in
9 preparing or serving food therein.
10 § 64. Subdivision 6 of section 224-d of the labor law, as amended by
11 section 30 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
12 read as follows:
13 6. Each owner and developer subject to the requirements of this
14 section shall comply with the objectives and goals of certified minority
15 and women-owned business enterprises pursuant to article fifteen-A of
16 the executive law and certified service-disabled veteran-owned busi-
17 nesses pursuant to article three of the [veterans' services] veterans
18 and military families law. The department in consultation with the
19 commissioner of the division of minority and women's business develop-
20 ment and the director of the division of service-disabled veterans'
21 business development shall make training and resources available to
22 assist minority and women-owned business enterprises and service-disa-
23 bled veteran-owned business enterprises on covered renewable energy
24 systems to achieve and maintain compliance with prevailing wage require-
25 ments. The department shall make such training and resources available
26 online and shall afford minority and women-owned business enterprises
27 and service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises an opportunity
28 to submit comments on such training.
29 § 65. Paragraph 5 of subdivision (b) of section 5.06 of the mental
30 hygiene law, as separately amended by sections 14 and 14-a of part PP of
31 chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
32 (5) one member appointed on the recommendation of the state commis-
33 sioner of the department of [veterans' services] veterans and military
34 families and one member appointed on the recommendation of the adjutant
35 general of the division of military and naval affairs, at least one of
36 whom shall be a current or former consumer of mental health services or
37 substance use disorder services who is a veteran who has served in a
38 combat theater or combat zone of operations and is a member of a veter-
39 ans organization;
40 § 66. Subdivision (l) of section 7.09 of the mental hygiene law, as
41 separately amended by section 15 of part PP of chapter 56 and chapter
42 363 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
43 (l) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the
44 commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of the office of
45 addiction services and supports and the director of the department of
46 [veterans' services] veterans and military families shall develop a
47 public education initiative designed to eliminate stigma and misinforma-
48 tion about mental illness and substance use among service members,
49 veterans, and their families, improve their understanding of mental and
50 substance use disorders and the existence of effective treatment, and
51 provide information regarding available resources and how to access
52 them. These public education initiatives may include the use of the
53 internet, including the use of social networking sites.
54 § 67. Subdivision 3 of section 20 of the military law, as amended by
55 section 70 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
56 read as follows:
A. 8967 33
1 3. Any person who has served as a commissioned or warrant officer in
2 the organized militia or in the armed forces of the United States and
3 (a) has been honorably discharged therefrom, or (b) has a qualifying
4 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
5 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
6 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged
7 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
8 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
9 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, may be commissioned
10 and placed on the state reserve list in the highest grade previously
11 held by [him or her] them after complying with such conditions as may be
12 prescribed by regulations issued pursuant to this chapter.
13 § 68. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subdivision 1 and subparagraphs 1 and
14 2 of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4-b of section 243 of the military
15 law, as amended by section 71 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
16 2022, are amended to read as follows:
17 (b) The term "military duty" shall mean military service in the mili-
18 tary, naval, aviation or marine service of the United States subsequent
19 to July first, nineteen hundred forty, or service under the selective
20 training and service act of nineteen hundred forty, or the national
21 guard and reserve officers mobilization act of nineteen hundred forty,
22 or any other act of congress supplementary or amendatory thereto, or any
23 similar act of congress hereafter enacted and irrespective of the fact
24 that such service was entered upon following a voluntary enlistment
25 therefor or was required under one of the foregoing acts of congress, or
26 service with the United States public health service as a commissioned
27 officer, or service with the American Red Cross while with the armed
28 forces of the United States on foreign service, or service with the
29 special services section of the armed forces of the United States on
30 foreign service, or service in the merchant marine which shall consist
31 of service as an officer or member of the crew on or in connection with
32 a vessel documented under the laws of the United States or a vessel
33 owned by, chartered to, or operated by or for the account or use of the
34 government of the United States, or service by one who was employed by
35 the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or
36 their agents as a merchant [seaman] mariner documented by the United
37 States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant
38 employed by the United States Army Transport Service (later redesignated
39 as the United States Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the
40 Naval Transportation Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew
41 member during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen
42 hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five,
43 aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or
44 coastwise service as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA
45 10301 & 10501) and further to include "near foreign" voyages between the
46 United States and Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes,
47 or public vessels in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has
48 received a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a
49 discharge certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of
50 Casualty, from the Department of Defense, or who served as a United
51 States civilian employed by the American Field Service and served over-
52 seas under United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world
53 war II during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen
54 hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and
55 who (i) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions,
56 or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
A. 8967 34
1 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
2 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
3 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
4 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
5 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
6 such service, or who served as a United States civilian Flight Crew and
7 Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World Airways or one of
8 its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas as a result of
9 Pan American's contract with Air Transport Command or Naval Air Trans-
10 port Service during the period of armed conflict, December fourteenth,
11 nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred
12 forty-five, and who (iv) was discharged or released therefrom under
13 honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying condition, as defined in
14 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
15 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
16 from such service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
17 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
18 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
19 from such service; or service in police duty on behalf of the United
20 States government in a foreign country, if such person is a police offi-
21 cer, as defined by section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, and if
22 such police officer obtained the prior consent of [his or her] their
23 public employer to absent [himself or herself] themself from [his or
24 her] their position to engage in the performance of such service; or as
25 an enrollee in the United States maritime service on active duty and, to
26 such extent as may be prescribed by or under the laws of the United
27 States, any period awaiting assignment to such service and any period of
28 education or training for such service in any school or institution
29 under the jurisdiction of the United States government, but shall not
30 include temporary and intermittent gratuitous service in any reserve or
31 auxiliary force. It shall include time spent in reporting for and
32 returning from military duty and shall be deemed to commence when the
33 public employee leaves [his or her] their position and to end when [he
34 or she is] they are reinstated to [his or her] their position, provided
35 such reinstatement is within ninety days after the termination of mili-
36 tary duty, as hereinafter defined. Notwithstanding the foregoing
37 provisions of this paragraph, the term "military duty" shall not include
38 any of the foregoing services entered upon voluntarily on or after Janu-
39 ary first, nineteen hundred forty-seven and before June twenty-fifth,
40 nineteen hundred fifty; and, on or after July first, nineteen hundred
41 seventy, the term "military duty" shall not include any voluntary
42 service in excess of four years performed after that date, or the total
43 of any voluntary services, additional or otherwise, in excess of four
44 years performed after that date, shall not exceed five years, if the
45 service in excess of four years is at the request and for the conven-
46 ience of the federal government, except if such voluntary service is
47 performed during a period of war, or national emergency declared by the
48 president.
49 (c) The term "termination of military duty" shall mean the date of a
50 certificate of honorable discharge or a certificate of completion of
51 training and service as set forth in the selective training and service
52 act of nineteen hundred forty, and the national guard and reserve offi-
53 cers mobilization act of nineteen hundred forty [or], or a certificate
54 of release or discharge from active duty where an employee (i) has a
55 qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
56 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
A. 8967 35
1 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
2 (ii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
3 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
4 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
5 service, or in the event of the incurrence of a temporary disability
6 arising out of and in the course of such military duty, the date of
7 termination of such disability. The existence and termination of such
8 temporary disability, in the case of a public employee occupying a posi-
9 tion in the classified civil service or of a person on an eligible list
10 for a position in such service, shall be determined by the civil service
11 commission having jurisdiction over such position and, in the case of a
12 public employee occupying a position not in the classified civil
13 service, shall be determined by the officer or body having the power of
14 appointment.
15 (1) "New York city veteran of world war II". Any member of the New
16 York city employees' retirement system in city-service who, after [his
17 or her] their last membership in such system began, served as a member
18 of the armed forces of the United States during the period beginning on
19 December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one and ending on December
20 thirty-first, nineteen hundred forty-six, and (i) was honorably
21 discharged or released under honorable circumstances from such service,
22 or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
23 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
24 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
25 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
26 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
27 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
28 such service.
29 (2) "New York city veteran of the Korean conflict." Any member of the
30 New York city employees' retirement system in city-service who, after
31 [his or her] their last membership in such system began, served as a
32 member of the armed forces of the United States during the period begin-
33 ning on the twenty-seventh of June, nineteen hundred fifty and ending on
34 the thirty-first day of January, nineteen hundred fifty-five, and (i)
35 was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from
36 such service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
37 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
38 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
39 such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
40 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
41 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
42 from such service.
43 § 69. Section 245 of the military law, as amended by section 72 of
44 part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
45 follows:
46 § 245. Retirement allowances of certain war veterans. 1. Any member of
47 a teachers' retirement system to which the city of New York is required
48 by law to make contributions on account of such member who (i) is an
49 honorably discharged member of any branch of the armed forces of the
50 United States, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
51 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
52 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable, or
53 (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
54 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
55 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable, having
56 served as such during the time of war and who has attained the age of
A. 8967 36
1 fifty years, may retire upon [his or her] their own request upon written
2 application to the board setting forth at what time not less than thirty
3 days subsequent to the execution and filing thereof [he or she desires]
4 they desire to be retired, provided that such member at the time so
5 specified for [his or her] their retirement shall have completed at
6 least twenty-five years of allowable service. Upon retirement such
7 member shall receive an annuity of equivalent actuarial value to [his or
8 her] their accumulated deductions, and, in addition, a pension beginning
9 immediately, having a value equal to the present value of the pension
10 that would have become payable had [he or she] they continued at [his or
11 her] their current salary to the age at which [he or she] they would
12 have first become eligible for service retirement, provided, however,
13 that the said member on making application for retirement shall pay into
14 the retirement fund a sum of money which calculated on an actuarial
15 basis, together with [his or her] their prior contributions and other
16 accumulations in said fund then to [his or her] their credit, shall be
17 sufficient to entitle the said member to the same annuity and pension
18 that [he or she] they would have received had [he or she] they remained
19 in the service of the city until [he or she] they had attained the age
20 at which [he or she] they otherwise would have first become eligible for
21 service retirement.
22 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or of any
23 general, special or local law or code to the contrary, a member of any
24 such teachers' retirement system who (i) is separated or discharged
25 under honorable conditions from any branch of the armed forces of the
26 United States, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
27 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
28 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable, or
29 (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
30 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
31 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable, having
32 served as such during the time of war and who has attained the age of
33 fifty years, may retire upon [his or her] their own request upon written
34 application to the board setting forth at what time, not less than thir-
35 ty days subsequent to the execution and filing thereof, [he or she
36 desires] they desire to be retired, provided that such member at that
37 time so specified for [his or her] their retirement shall have completed
38 at least twenty-five years of allowable service. Upon reaching [his or
39 her] their previously selected minimum retirement age, such member shall
40 receive an annuity of equivalent actuarial value, at that time, to [his
41 or her] their accumulated deductions, and, in addition, a pension based
42 upon [his or her] their credited years of allowable service, plus the
43 pension-for-increased-take-home-pay, if any. Should such member die
44 before reaching [his or her] their retirement age, then any beneficiary
45 under a selected option shall be eligible for benefits under such option
46 at the date upon which the member would have reached [his or her] their
47 selected retirement age.
48 § 70. Subdivisions 1-b, 1-f, and 1-f of section 247 of the military
49 law, subdivision 1-b as amended by section 73 of part PP of chapter 56
50 of the laws of 2022, subdivision 1-f as added by chapter 609 of the laws
51 of 2023, and subdivision 1-f as amended by chapter 610 of the laws of
52 2023, are amended to read as follows:
53 1-b. The adjutant general is hereby authorized to present in the name
54 of the legislature of the state of New York, a certificate, to be known
55 as the "Cold War Certificate", bearing a suitable inscription, to any
56 person: (i) who is a citizen of the state of New York or (ii) who was a
A. 8967 37
1 citizen of the state of New York while serving in the armed forces of
2 the United States; (iii) who served in the United States Armed Forces
3 during the period of time from September second, nineteen hundred
4 forty-five through December twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred ninety-one,
5 commonly known as the Cold War Era; and (iv) who was honorably
6 discharged or released under honorable circumstances during the Cold War
7 Era, or has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
8 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and received a
9 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable during the Cold War
10 Era, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
11 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and received a
12 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable during the Cold War
13 Era. Not more than one Cold War Certificate shall be awarded or
14 presented, under the provisions of this subdivision, to any person whose
15 entire service subsequent to the time of the receipt of such medal shall
16 not have been honorable. In the event of the death of any person during
17 or subsequent to the receipt of such certificate it shall be presented
18 to such representative of the deceased as may be designated. The adju-
19 tant general, in consultation with the commissioner of the department of
20 [veterans' services] veterans and military families, shall make such
21 rules and regulations as may be deemed necessary for the proper presen-
22 tation and distribution of the certificate.
23 1-f. The governor is hereby authorized to present in the name of the
24 legislature of the state of New York, a medal, to be known as the "New
25 York State Iraq War Commemorative Medal", bearing a suitable
26 inscription, to any person: (i) who is a resident of the state of New
27 York or who was a resident of the state of New York while serving in the
28 armed forces of the United States; (ii) who served in the United States
29 Armed Forces, defined as army, air force, navy, marine corps or coast
30 guard, on active duty in Iraq at any time during the period of March
31 twentieth, two thousand three through December thirty-first, two thou-
32 sand twenty-one; and (iii) who was discharged under honorable conditions
33 or who has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
34 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and received a
35 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, or is a
36 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
37 services] veterans and military families law and received a discharge
38 other than bad conduct or dishonorable discharge. No person shall
39 receive more than one New York State Iraq War Commemorative Medal. In
40 the event of the death of any eligible person prior to the receipt of
41 such commemorative medal, such commemorative medal shall be presented to
42 the designated representative of the deceased. The adjutant general, in
43 consultation with the commissioner of the department of [veterans'
44 services] veterans and military families, shall make such rules and
45 regulations as may be deemed necessary for the proper presentation and
46 distribution of such medals.
47 1-f. The governor is hereby authorized to present in the name of the
48 legislature of the state of New York, a medal, to be known as the "New
49 York State Afghanistan War Commemorative Medal", bearing a suitable
50 inscription, to any person: (i) who is a resident of the state of New
51 York; or who was a resident of the state of New York while serving in
52 the armed forces of the United States; (ii) who served in the United
53 States Armed Forces, defined as army, air force, navy, marine corps, or
54 coast guard, on active duty in Afghanistan at any time during the period
55 from October seventh, two thousand one through August thirtieth, two
56 thousand twenty-one; and (iii) who was discharged under honorable condi-
A. 8967 38
1 tions or who has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
2 the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
3 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable discharge,
4 or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
5 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and received a
6 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable discharge. No person
7 shall receive more than one New York State Afghanistan War Commemorative
8 Medal. In the event of the death of any eligible person prior to the
9 receipt of such commemorative medal, such commemorative medal shall be
10 presented to the designated representative of the deceased. The adjutant
11 general, in consultation with the commissioner of the department of
12 [veterans' services] veterans and military families, shall make such
13 rules and regulations as may be deemed necessary for the proper presen-
14 tation and distribution of such medals.
15 § 71. Section 249 of the military law, as amended by section 74 of
16 part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
17 follows:
18 § 249. State and municipal officers and employees granted leaves of
19 absence on July fourth in certain cases. Each officer and employee of
20 the state or of a municipal corporation or of any other political subdi-
21 vision thereof who was a member of the national guard or naval militia
22 or a member of the reserve corps at a time when the United States was
23 not at war and who (i) has been honorably discharged therefrom, or (ii)
24 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
25 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
26 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
27 (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
28 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
29 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
30 service, shall, in so far as practicable, be entitled to absent [himself
31 or herself] themself from duties or service, with pay, on July fourth of
32 each year. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or
33 local law or the provisions of any city charter, no such officer or
34 employee shall be subjected by any person whatever directly or indirect-
35 ly by reason of such absence to any loss or diminution of vacation or
36 holiday privilege or be prejudiced by reason of such absence with refer-
37 ence to promotion or continuance in office or employment or to reap-
38 pointment to office or to re-employment.
39 § 72. Section 256 of the military law, as added by chapter 625 of the
40 laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
41 § 256. State military immigrant family legacy program support. The
42 adjutant general shall encourage the development of and provide for the
43 establishment of a state military immigrant family legacy program liai-
44 son, as provided in section twenty-nine-b of the [veterans' services]
45 veterans and military families law.
46 § 73. Subdivision (g) of section 202 of the not-for-profit corporation
47 law, as amended by section 16 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
48 2022, is amended to read as follows:
49 (g) Every corporation receiving any kind of state funding shall ensure
50 the provision on any form required to be completed at application or
51 recertification for the purpose of obtaining financial assistance pursu-
52 ant to this chapter, that the application form shall contain a check-off
53 question asking whether the applicant or recipient or a member of [his
54 or her] their family served in the United States military, and an option
55 to answer in the affirmative. Where the applicant or recipient answers
56 in the affirmative to such question, the not-for-profit corporation
A. 8967 39
1 shall ensure that contact information for the state department of
2 [veterans' services] veterans and military families is provided to such
3 applicant or recipient in addition to any other materials provided.
4 § 74. Subdivision (b) of section 1401 of the not-for-profit corpo-
5 ration law, as amended by section 17 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
6 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
7 (b) Removal of remains from private cemeteries to other cemeteries.
8 The supervisor of any town containing a private cemetery may remove any
9 body interred in such cemetery to any other cemetery within the town, if
10 the owners of such cemeteries and the next of kin of the deceased
11 consent to such removal. The owners of a private cemetery may remove the
12 bodies interred therein to any other cemetery within such town, or to
13 any cemetery designated by the next of kin of the deceased. Notice of
14 such removal shall be given within twenty days before such removal
15 personally or by certified mail to the next of kin of the deceased if
16 known and to the clerk and historian of the county in which such real
17 property is situated and notice shall be given to the New York state
18 department of state, division of cemeteries. If any of the deceased are
19 known to be veterans, the owners shall also notify the department of
20 [veterans' services] veterans and military families. In the absence of
21 the next of kin, the county clerk, county historian or the department of
22 [veterans' services] veterans and military families may act as a guardi-
23 an to ensure proper reburial.
24 § 75. Subdivision 2 of section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and
25 historic preservation law, as amended by chapter 103 of the laws of
26 2024, is amended to read as follows:
27 2. For the purposes of this section (a) "veteran" shall mean a resi-
28 dent of this state who is: (i) a veteran as such term is defined in
29 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
30 law; or (ii) a person who has served on active duty for the state as a
31 member of the state organized militia as defined in subdivision nine of
32 section one of the military law and who was discharged or released ther-
33 efrom under conditions other than dishonorable; or (iii) a person who
34 has served on active duty in the uniformed services of the United States
35 or on active duty for the state as a member of the organized militia and
36 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
37 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
38 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
39 is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veter-
40 ans' services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
41 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service; and
42 (b) "member of a Gold Star family" shall mean a resident of this state
43 who is a gold star parent as defined in section twenty-six of the
44 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, the spouse or
45 domestic partner, or the biological, step, or legally adopted minor
46 child of a veteran whose death qualified the parent for an annuity.
47 § 76. Subparagraph 2 of paragraph b of subdivision 1 of section 156 of
48 the public housing law, as amended by section 75 of part PP of chapter
49 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
50 (2) (i) have been thereafter discharged or released therefrom under
51 conditions other than dishonorable, or (ii) have a qualifying condition,
52 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
53 tary families law, and have received a discharge other than bad conduct
54 or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) are discharged LGBT veter-
55 ans, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and
56 military families law, and have received a discharge other than bad
A. 8967 40
1 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iv) died in such service,
2 not more than five years prior to the time of application for admission
3 to such project, and
4 § 77. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subdivision 1 of section 2509-d of the
5 public health law, as added by chapter 623 of the laws of 2024, is
6 amended to read as follows:
7 (b) "Women veterans coordinator" shall mean the women veterans coordi-
8 nator appointed pursuant to section nineteen of the [veterans' services]
9 veterans and military families law.
10 (c) "Veteran" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined in
11 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
12 law and shall also include a veteran who has a qualifying condition, as
13 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
14 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
15 dishonorable from such service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
16 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
17 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
18 dishonorable from such service.
19 § 78. Subdivision (i) of section 2522 of the public health law, as
20 added by chapter 623 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
21 (i) promotion of training and continuing medical education opportu-
22 nities in military cultural competency for providers of prenatal care to
23 veterans. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "veteran" shall
24 have the same meaning as such term is defined in section one of the
25 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law and shall also
26 include a veteran who has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
27 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
28 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
29 such service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one
30 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
31 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
32 service.
33 § 79. The opening paragraph and paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of
34 section 2632 of the public health law, as amended by section 76 of part
35 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
36 Every veteran of the armed forces of the United States, who (i) (A)
37 was separated or discharged under honorable conditions after serving on
38 active duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days, or (B)
39 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
40 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
41 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
42 duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days, or (C) is a
43 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
44 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
45 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
46 duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days, or (ii) (A) was
47 separated or discharged under honorable conditions after serving on
48 active duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days or (B) has
49 a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
50 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
51 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
52 duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days, or (C) is a
53 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
54 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
55 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
56 duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days, and who was a
A. 8967 41
1 recipient of the armed forces expeditionary medal, navy expeditionary
2 medal or marine corps expeditionary medal for participation in oper-
3 ations in Lebanon from June first, nineteen hundred eighty-three to
4 December first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven, in Grenada from October
5 twenty-third, nineteen hundred eighty-three to November twenty-first,
6 nineteen hundred eighty-three, or in Panama from December twentieth,
7 nineteen hundred eighty-nine to January thirty-first, nineteen hundred
8 ninety, or in Bosnia and Herzgegovina from November twenty-first, nine-
9 teen hundred ninety-five to November first, two thousand seven, or was a
10 recipient of the Kosovo campaign medal or (iii) (A) was separated or
11 discharged under honorable conditions after serving on active duty ther-
12 ein for a period of not less than thirty days or (B) has a qualifying
13 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
14 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
15 bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active duty therein for a
16 period of not less than thirty days, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veter-
17 an, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and
18 military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
19 conduct or dishonorable after serving on active duty therein for a peri-
20 od of not less than thirty days, and who served during the period of
21 actual hostilities of either
22 (d) world war II between December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one
23 and December thirty-first, nineteen hundred forty-six, both inclusive,
24 or who was employed by the War Shipping Administration or Office of
25 Defense Transportation or their agents as a merchant [seaman] mariner
26 documented by the United States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce,
27 or as a civil servant employed by the United States Army Transport
28 Service (later redesignated as the United States Army Transportation
29 Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation Service; and who
30 served satisfactorily as a crew member during the period of armed
31 conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to August
32 fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels in
33 oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such
34 terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further
35 to include "near foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada,
36 Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in ocean-
37 going service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of
38 Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an
39 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of
40 Defense, or who served as a United States civilian employed by the Amer-
41 ican Field Service and served overseas under United States Armies and
42 United States Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed
43 conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May
44 eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (i) was discharged or
45 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying
46 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
47 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
48 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged
49 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
50 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
51 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or who served as a
52 United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee
53 of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affil-
54 iates and served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with
55 Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period
56 of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one
A. 8967 42
1 through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was
2 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has
3 a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
4 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
5 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
6 (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
7 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
8 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
9 service; or
10 § 80. Subdivision 5 of section 2805-b of the public health law, as
11 amended by section 77 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
12 amended to read as follows:
13 5. The staff of a general hospital shall: (a) inquire whether or not
14 the person admitted has served in the United States armed forces. Such
15 information shall be listed on the admissions form; (b) notify any
16 admittee who is a veteran of the possible availability of services at a
17 hospital operated by the United States veterans health administration,
18 and, upon request by the admittee, such staff shall make arrangements
19 for the individual's transfer to a United States veterans health admin-
20 istration hospital, provided, however, that transfers shall be author-
21 ized only after it has been determined, according to accepted clinical
22 and medical standards, that the patient's condition has stabilized and
23 transfer can be accomplished safely and without complication; and (c)
24 provide any admittee who has served in the United States armed forces
25 with a copy of the "Information for Veterans concerning Health Care
26 Options" fact sheet, maintained by the department of [veterans'
27 services] veterans and military families pursuant to subdivision twen-
28 ty-nine of section four of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
29 tary families law prior to discharging or transferring the patient. The
30 commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for notifying such
31 admittees of possible available services and for arranging a requested
32 transfer.
33 § 81. Subdivision 2 of section 2805-o of the public health law, as
34 amended by section 78 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
35 amended to read as follows:
36 2. Every nursing home, residential health care facility and every
37 adult care facility licensed and certified by the department pursuant to
38 title two of article seven of the social services law or article forty-
39 six-B of this chapter, including all adult homes, enriched housing
40 programs, residences for adults, assisted living programs, and assisted
41 living residences shall in writing advise all individuals identifying
42 themselves as veterans or spouses of veterans that the department of
43 [veterans' services] veterans and military families and local veterans'
44 service agencies established pursuant to section fourteen of the [veter-
45 ans' services] veterans and military families law to provide assistance
46 to veterans and their spouses regarding benefits under federal and state
47 law. Such written information shall include the name, address and tele-
48 phone number of the New York state department of [veterans' services]
49 veterans and military families, the nearest department of [veterans'
50 services] veterans and military families office, the nearest county or
51 city veterans' service agency and the nearest accredited veterans'
52 service officer.
53 § 82. Subdivision 3 of section 3422 of the public health law, as
54 amended by section 79 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
55 amended to read as follows:
A. 8967 43
1 3. A candidate who fails to attain a passing grade on [his or her]
2 their licensing examination is entitled to a maximum of three re-exami-
3 nations; provided, however, that if such candidate fails to attain a
4 passing grade within three years after completion of [his or her] their
5 training, [he or she] they must requalify in accordance with the
6 provisions of the public health law and rules and regulations promulgat-
7 ed thereunder existing and in force as of the date of subsequent appli-
8 cation for licensing examination, except that a satisfactorily completed
9 required course of study need not be recompleted. A candidate inducted
10 into the armed forces of the United States during or after completion of
11 training may (a) after honorable discharge or (b) after a discharge
12 other than bad conduct or dishonorable where the candidate (i) has a
13 qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
14 services] veterans and military families law, or (ii) is a discharged
15 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
16 veterans and military families law, and upon proper application as
17 required by the department be eligible for an exemption with respect to
18 time served in such service.
19 § 83. Subdivision 2 of section 3802 of the public health law, as
20 amended by section 18 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
21 amended to read as follows:
22 2. In the exercise of the foregoing powers and duties the commissioner
23 shall consult with the commissioner of the department of [veterans'
24 services] veterans and military families and the heads of state agencies
25 charged with responsibility for [manpower] workforce and health
26 resources.
27 § 84. Subdivision 3 of section 3803 of the public health law, as
28 amended by section 19 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
29 amended to read as follows:
30 3. In exercising any of [his or her] their powers under this section,
31 the commissioner shall consult with appropriate health care profes-
32 sionals, providers, veterans or organizations representing them, the
33 department of [veterans' services] veterans and military families, the
34 United States department of veterans affairs and the United States
35 defense department.
36 § 85. Section 63 of the public officers law, as amended by section 80
37 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
38 follows:
39 § 63. Leave of absence for veterans on Memorial day and Veterans' day.
40 It shall be the duty of the head of every public department and of every
41 court of the state of New York, of every superintendent or [foreman]
42 foreperson on the public works of said state, of the county officers of
43 the several counties of said state, of the town officers of the various
44 towns in this state, of the fire district officers of the various fire
45 districts in this state, and of the head of every department, bureau and
46 office in the government of the various cities and villages in this
47 state, and the officers of any public benefit corporation or any public
48 authority of this state, or of any public benefit corporation or public
49 authority of any county or subdivision of this state, to give leave of
50 absence with pay for twenty-four hours on the day prescribed by law as a
51 public holiday for the observance of Memorial day and on the eleventh
52 day of November, known as Veterans' day, to every person in the service
53 of the state, the county, the town, the fire district, the city or
54 village, the public benefit corporation or public authority of this
55 state, or any public benefit corporation or public authority of any
56 county or subdivision of this state, as the case may be, (i) who served
A. 8967 44
1 on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during world war
2 I or world war II, or who was employed by the War Shipping Adminis-
3 tration or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a
4 merchant [seaman] mariner documented by the United States Coast Guard or
5 Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United
6 States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States
7 Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation
8 Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the peri-
9 od of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to
10 August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels
11 in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such
12 terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further
13 to include "near foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada,
14 Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in ocean-
15 going service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of
16 Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an
17 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of
18 Defense, or who served as a United States civilian employed by the Amer-
19 ican Field Service and served overseas under United States Armies and
20 United States Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed
21 conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May
22 eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (a) was discharged or
23 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (b) has a qualifying
24 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
25 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
26 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged
27 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
28 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
29 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service or who served as a
30 United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee
31 of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affil-
32 iates and served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with
33 Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period
34 of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one
35 through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (d) was
36 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (e) has
37 a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
38 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
39 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
40 (f) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
41 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
42 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
43 service or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time between
44 the dates of June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty and January
45 thirty-first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the
46 Vietnam conflict from the first day of November, nineteen hundred
47 fifty-five to the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or
48 (ii) who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States
49 and who was a recipient of the armed forces expeditionary medal, navy
50 expeditionary medal or marine corps expeditionary medal for partic-
51 ipation in operations in Lebanon from June first, nineteen hundred
52 eighty-three to December first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven, in Grena-
53 da from October twenty-third, nineteen hundred eighty-three to November
54 twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-three, or in Panama from December
55 twentieth, nineteen hundred eighty-nine to January thirty-first, nine-
56 teen hundred ninety, or (iii) who served in the armed forces of a
A. 8967 45
1 foreign country allied with the United States during world war I or
2 world war II, or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time
3 between June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty and January thirty-
4 first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the Vietnam
5 conflict from the first day of November, nineteen hundred fifty-five to
6 the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or during the
7 period of the Persian Gulf conflict from the second day of August, nine-
8 teen hundred ninety to the end of such conflict, or who served on active
9 duty in the army or navy or marine corps or air force or coast guard of
10 the United States, and who (a) was honorably discharged or separated
11 from such service under honorable conditions, or (b) has a qualifying
12 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
13 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
14 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged
15 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
16 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
17 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service except where such
18 action would endanger the public safety or the safety or health of
19 persons cared for by the state, in which event such persons shall be
20 entitled to leave of absence with pay on another day in lieu thereof.
21 All such persons who are compensated on a per diem, hourly, semi-monthly
22 or monthly basis, with or without maintenance, shall also be entitled to
23 leave of absence with pay under the provisions of this section and no
24 deduction in vacation allowance or budgetary allowable number of working
25 days shall be made in lieu thereof. A refusal to give such leave of
26 absence to one entitled thereto shall be neglect of duty.
27 § 86. Subdivision 3 of section 1271 of the private housing finance
28 law, as amended by section 81 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
29 2022, is amended to read as follows:
30 3. "Veteran" shall mean a veteran as defined in section one of the
31 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, or is a
32 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
33 services] veterans and military families law, who is a resident of the
34 state and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonor-
35 able from such service.
36 § 87. Subdivisions 2 and 4-a of section 458 of the real property tax
37 law, as amended by section 82 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
38 2022, is amended to read as follows:
39 2. Real property purchased with moneys collected by popular
40 subscription in partial recognition of extraordinary services rendered
41 by any veteran of world war one, world war two, or of the hostilities
42 which commenced June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty, who (a) was
43 honorably discharged from such service, or (b) has a qualifying condi-
44 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and
45 military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
46 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT
47 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans
48 and military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
49 conduct or dishonorable from such service, and who sustained permanent
50 disability while on military duty, either total or partial, and owned by
51 the person who sustained such injuries, or by [his or her] their spouse
52 or unremarried surviving spouse, or dependent [father or mother] parent,
53 is subject to taxation as herein provided. Such property shall be
54 assessed in the same manner as other real property in the tax district.
55 At the meeting of the assessors to hear complaints concerning the
56 assessments, a verified application for the exemption of such real prop-
A. 8967 46
1 erty from taxation may be presented to them by or on behalf of the owner
2 thereof, which application must show the facts on which the exemption is
3 claimed, including the amount of moneys so raised and used in or toward
4 the purchase of such property. No exemption on account of any such gift
5 shall be allowed in excess of five thousand dollars. The application for
6 exemption shall be presented and action thereon taken in the manner
7 provided by subdivision one of this section. If no application for
8 exemption be granted, the property shall be subject to taxation for all
9 purposes. The provisions herein, relating to the assessment and
10 exemption of property purchased with moneys raised by popular
11 subscription, apply and shall be enforced in each municipal corporation
12 authorized to levy taxes.
13 4-a. For the purposes of this section, the term "military or naval
14 services" shall be deemed to also include service: (a) by a person who
15 was employed by the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense
16 Transportation or their agents as a merchant [seaman] mariner documented
17 by the United States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a
18 civil servant employed by the United States Army Transport Service
19 (later redesignated as the United States Army Transportation Corps,
20 Water Division) or the Naval Transportation Service; and who served
21 satisfactorily as a crew member during the period of armed conflict,
22 December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nine-
23 teen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e.,
24 foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such terms are defined
25 under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further to include "near
26 foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada, Mexico, or the
27 West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in oceangoing service or
28 foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of Release or
29 Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an Honorable
30 Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the department of defense;
31 (b) service by a United States civilian employed by the American Field
32 Service who served overseas under United States Armies and United States
33 Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed conflict, Decem-
34 ber seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen
35 hundred forty-five, and who (i) was discharged or released therefrom
36 under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as
37 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
38 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
39 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
40 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
41 tary families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
42 or dishonorable from such service; or (c) service by a United States
43 civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan Ameri-
44 can World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affiliates who
45 served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with Air Trans-
46 port Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period of armed
47 conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August
48 fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (i) was discharged or
49 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying
50 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
51 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
52 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged
53 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
54 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
55 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
A. 8967 47
1 § 88. Paragraph (e) of subdivision 1 and subdivisions 9 and 10 of
2 section 458-a of the real property tax law, paragraph (e) of subdivision
3 1 as amended by chapter 611 of the laws of 2023 and subdivisions 9 and
4 10 as amended by section 83 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
5 2022, are amended to read as follows:
6 (e) "Veteran" means a person (i) who served in the active military,
7 naval, or air service during a period of war, or who was a recipient of
8 the armed forces expeditionary medal, navy expeditionary medal, marine
9 corps expeditionary medal, or global war on terrorism expeditionary
10 medal, and who (1) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable
11 conditions, or (2) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one
12 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
13 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
14 service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one
15 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
16 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
17 service, (ii) who was employed by the War Shipping Administration or
18 Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a merchant [seaman]
19 mariner documented by the United States Coast Guard or Department of
20 Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United States Army
21 Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States Army Trans-
22 portation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation Service;
23 and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the period of
24 armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to August
25 fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels in
26 oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such
27 terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further
28 to include "near foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada,
29 Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in ocean-
30 going service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of
31 Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an
32 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the department of
33 defense, (iii) who served as a United States civilian employed by the
34 American Field Service and served overseas under United States Armies
35 and United States Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed
36 conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May
37 eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (1) was discharged or
38 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (2) has a qualifying
39 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
40 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
41 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged
42 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
43 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
44 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, (iv) who served as a
45 United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee
46 of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affil-
47 iates and served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with
48 Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period
49 of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one
50 through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (1) was
51 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (2) has
52 a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
53 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
54 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
55 (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
56 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
A. 8967 48
1 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
2 service, (v) notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
3 who are members of the reserve components of the armed forces of the
4 United States who (1) received an honorable discharge or release there-
5 from under honorable conditions, or (2) has a qualifying condition, as
6 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
7 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
8 dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
9 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
10 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
11 dishonorable from such service, but are still members of the reserve
12 components of the armed forces of the United States provided that such
13 members meet all other qualifications under the provisions of this
14 section, or (vi) who shall be considered to have been discharged or
15 released from active military service of the United States under honor-
16 able conditions if: (1) the individual served in the active military
17 service of the United States for the period of time such individual was
18 obligated to serve at the time of entry into service; (2) the individual
19 was not discharged or released from such service at the time of complet-
20 ing such period of obligation due to an intervening enlistment or reen-
21 listment; (3) the individual would have been eligible for a discharge or
22 release under conditions other than dishonorable at such time except for
23 such intervening enlistment or reenlistment; and (4) the individual
24 served in the active military service of the United States for a period
25 of at least ten years, provided that such individual meets all other
26 qualifications under the provisions of this section.
27 9. The commissioner shall develop in consultation with the commission-
28 er of the New York state department of [veterans' services] veterans and
29 military families a listing of documents to be used to establish eligi-
30 bility under this section, including but not limited to a certificate of
31 release or discharge from active duty also known as a DD-214 form or an
32 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty from the department of
33 defense. Such information shall be made available to each county, city,
34 town or village assessor's office, or congressional chartered veterans
35 service officers who request such information. The listing of acceptable
36 military records shall be made available on the internet websites of the
37 department of [veterans' services] veterans and military families and
38 the office of real property tax services.
39 10. A county, city, town, village or school district may adopt a local
40 law or resolution to include those military personnel who served in the
41 Reserve component of the United States Armed Forces that were deemed on
42 active duty under Executive Order 11519 signed March twenty-third, nine-
43 teen hundred seventy, 35 Federal Register 5003, dated March twenty-
44 fourth, nineteen hundred seventy and later designated by the United
45 States Department of Defense as Operation Graphic Hand, if such member
46 (1) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or
47 (2) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veter-
48 ans' services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
49 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
50 (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
51 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
52 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
53 service, provided that such veteran meets all other qualifications of
54 this section.
A. 8967 49
1 § 89. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 and subdivision 8 of section
2 458-b of the real property tax law, as amended by section 84 of part PP
3 of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
4 (a) "Cold War veteran" means a person[, male or female,] who served on
5 active duty in the United States armed forces, during the time period
6 from September second, nineteen hundred forty-five to December twenty-
7 sixth, nineteen hundred ninety-one, and (i) was discharged or released
8 therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condi-
9 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and
10 military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
11 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT
12 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans
13 and military families law, and has received a discharge other than bad
14 conduct or dishonorable from such service.
15 8. The commissioner shall develop in consultation with the commission-
16 er of the New York state department of [veterans' services] veterans and
17 military families a listing of documents to be used to establish eligi-
18 bility under this section, including but not limited to a certificate of
19 release or discharge from active duty also known as a DD-214 form or an
20 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty from the department of
21 defense. Such information shall be made available to each county, city,
22 town or village assessor's office, or congressional chartered veterans
23 service officers who request such information. The listing of acceptable
24 military records shall be made available on the internet websites of the
25 department of [veterans' services] veterans and military families and
26 the office of real property tax services.
27 § 90. Paragraph (j) of subdivision 3 of section 20 of the social
28 services law, as amended by section 20 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
29 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
30 (j) to ensure the provision, on any form required to be completed at
31 application or recertification for the purpose of obtaining financial
32 assistance pursuant to this chapter, the form shall contain a check-off
33 question asking whether the applicant or recipient or a member of [his
34 or her] their family served in the United States military, and an option
35 to answer in the affirmative. Where the applicant or recipient answers
36 in the affirmative to such question, the office of temporary and disa-
37 bility assistance shall ensure that contact information for the state
38 department of [veterans' services] veterans and military families is
39 provided to such applicant or recipient in addition to any other materi-
40 als provided.
41 § 91. Subparagraph (v) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section
42 122 of the social services law, as separately amended by section 85 of
43 part PP of chapter 56 and chapter 669 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
44 read as follows:
45 (v) any noncitizen lawfully residing in the state who is on active
46 duty in the armed forces (other than active duty for training) or who
47 (1) has received an honorable discharge (and not on account of nonciti-
48 zen status) from the armed forces, or (2) has a qualifying condition, as
49 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
50 families law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
51 dishonorable (and not on account of noncitizen status) from the armed
52 forces, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one
53 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
54 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable (and not on
55 account of noncitizen status) from the armed forces, or the spouse,
56 unremarried surviving spouse or unmarried dependent child of any such
A. 8967 50
1 noncitizen, if such noncitizen, spouse or dependent child is a qualified
2 alien as defined in section 431 of the federal personal responsibility
3 and work opportunity reconciliation act of 1996 (8 U.S. Code 1641), as
4 amended;
5 § 92. Subdivision 1 of section 168 of the social services law, as
6 amended by chapter 445 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
7 follows:
8 1. Veteran means a person who has served in the armed forces of the
9 United States or who was a recipient of the armed forces expeditionary
10 medal, navy expeditionary medal or marine corps expeditionary medal for
11 participation in operations in Lebanon from June first, nineteen hundred
12 eighty-three to December first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven, in Grena-
13 da from October twenty-third, nineteen hundred eighty-three to November
14 twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-three, or in Panama from December
15 twentieth, nineteen hundred eighty-nine to January thirty-first, nine-
16 teen hundred ninety, and who (a) has been honorably discharged or
17 released under honorable circumstances from such service or furloughed
18 to the reserve, or (b) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
19 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
20 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
21 such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
22 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
23 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
24 such service.
25 § 93. Subdivisions 3 and 4 of section 95-f of the state finance law,
26 as amended by section 21 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022,
27 are amended to read as follows:
28 3. Monies of the fund shall be expended for the provision of veterans'
29 counseling services provided by local veterans' service agencies pursu-
30 ant to section fourteen of the [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
31 tary families law under the direction of the department of [veterans'
32 services] veterans and military families.
33 4. To the extent practicable, the commissioner of the department of
34 [veterans' services] veterans and military families shall ensure that
35 all monies received during a fiscal year are expended prior to the end
36 of that fiscal year.
37 § 94. The opening paragraph of subdivision 2-a and subdivision 5 of
38 section 97-mmmm of the state finance law, as amended by section 22 of
39 part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as
40 follows:
41 On or before the first day of February each year, the commissioner of
42 the New York state department of [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
43 tary families shall provide a written report to the temporary president
44 of the senate, speaker of the assembly, chair of the senate finance
45 committee, chair of the assembly ways and means committee, chair of the
46 senate committee on veterans, homeland security and military affairs,
47 chair of the assembly veterans' affairs committee, the state comptroller
48 and the public. Such report shall include how the monies of the fund
49 were utilized during the preceding calendar year, and shall include:
50 5. Moneys shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of
51 the comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner
52 of the department of [veterans' services] veterans and military
53 families.
54 § 95. The opening paragraph of subdivision 2-a and subdivision 4 of
55 section 99-v of the state finance law, as amended by section 23 of part
56 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
A. 8967 51
1 On or before the first day of February each year, the commissioner of
2 the New York state department of [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
3 tary families shall provide a written report to the temporary president
4 of the senate, speaker of the assembly, chair of the senate finance
5 committee, chair of the assembly ways and means committee, chair of the
6 senate committee on veterans, homeland security and military affairs,
7 chair of the assembly veterans' affairs committee, the state comptroller
8 and the public. Such report shall include how the monies of the fund
9 were utilized during the preceding calendar year, and shall include:
10 4. Moneys of the fund shall be expended only for the assistance and
11 care of homeless veterans, for housing and housing-related expenses, as
12 determined by the department of [veterans' services] veterans and mili-
13 tary families.
14 § 96. Subdivision 1 of section 143 of the state finance law, as
15 amended by section 27 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
16 amended to read as follows:
17 1. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of any general or
18 special law, the board, division, department, bureau, agency, officer or
19 commission of the state charged with the duty of preparing plans and
20 specifications for and awarding or entering into contracts for the
21 performance of public work may require the payment of a fixed sum of
22 money, not exceeding one hundred dollars, for each copy of such plans
23 and specifications, by persons or corporations desiring a copy thereof.
24 Any person or corporation desiring a copy of such plans and specifica-
25 tions and making the deposit required by this section shall be furnished
26 with one copy of the plans and specifications. Notwithstanding the fore-
27 going, where payment is required it shall be waived upon request by
28 minority- and women-owned business enterprises certified pursuant to
29 article fifteen-A of the executive law or by service-disabled veteran-
30 owned business enterprises certified pursuant to article three of the
31 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law. Such payment
32 may also be waived when such plans and specifications are made available
33 and obtained electronically or in any non-paper form from the board,
34 division, department, bureau, agency, officer or commission of the
35 state.
36 § 97. Paragraph j of subdivision 1, paragraph (d) of subdivision 6,
37 and subdivision 6-d of section 163 of the state finance law, paragraph j
38 of subdivision 1 and subdivision 6-d as amended by section 28 of part PP
39 of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022 and paragraph (d) of subdivision 6 as
40 amended by chapter 110 of the laws of 2024, are amended to read as
41 follows:
42 j. "Best value" means the basis for awarding contracts for services to
43 the offerer which optimizes quality, cost and efficiency, among respon-
44 sive and responsible offerers. Such basis shall reflect, wherever possi-
45 ble, objective and quantifiable analysis. Such basis may also identify a
46 quantitative factor for offerers that are small businesses, certified
47 minority- or women-owned business enterprises as defined in subdivisions
48 one, seven, fifteen and twenty of section three hundred ten of the exec-
49 utive law or service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises as
50 defined in subdivision one of section forty of the [veterans' services]
51 veterans and military families law to be used in evaluation of offers
52 for awarding of contracts for services.
53 (d) state agencies may purchase commodities or services from those
54 certified pursuant to article fifteen-A of the executive law and article
55 three of the [veterans' service] veterans and military families law in
A. 8967 52
1 an amount not exceeding seven hundred fifty thousand dollars without a
2 formal competitive process; and
3 6-d. Pursuant to the authority provided in subdivision six of this
4 section, state agencies shall report annually on a fiscal year basis by
5 July first of the ensuing year to the director of the division of minor-
6 ity and women-owned business development the total number and total
7 value of contracts awarded to businesses certified pursuant to article
8 fifteen-A of the executive law, and with respect to contracts awarded to
9 businesses certified pursuant to article three of the [veterans'
10 services] veterans and military families law such information shall be
11 reported to the division of service-disabled veteran-owned business
12 enterprises for inclusion in their respective annual reports.
13 § 98. Subdivision 26 of section 213 of the state finance law, as
14 amended by chapter 409 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as
15 follows:
16 26. "Certified service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprise"
17 means any service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprise as provided
18 for in article three of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
19 families law.
20 § 99. Subdivision 3 of section 103-a of the state technology law, as
21 amended by section 31 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
22 amended to read as follows:
23 3. The director shall conduct an outreach campaign informing the
24 public of the iCenter and shall conduct specific outreach to minority
25 and women-owned business enterprises certified pursuant to article
26 fifteen-A of the executive law, small businesses as such term is defined
27 in section one hundred thirty-one of the economic development law, and
28 service disabled veteran owned business enterprises certified pursuant
29 to article three of the [veterans' services] veterans and military fami-
30 lies law to inform such businesses of iCenter initiatives.
31 § 100. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph (b) of subdivision 29 of section
32 210-B of the tax law, as separately amended by section 87 of part PP of
33 chapter 56 and section 1 of part H of chapter 59 of the laws of 2022, is
34 amended to read as follows:
35 (1) who served on active duty in the United States army, navy, air
36 force, space force, marine corps, coast guard or the reserves thereof,
37 or who served in active military service of the United States as a
38 member of the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard or
39 New York naval militia, or who served in the active uniformed services
40 of the United States as a member of the commissioned corps of the
41 national oceanic and atmospheric administration or the commissioned
42 corps of the United States public health service; who (i) was released
43 from such service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in
44 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
45 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
46 from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
47 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
48 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
49 from such service;
50 § 101. Subparagraph (A) of paragraph 2 of subsection (a-2) of section
51 606 of the tax law, as separately amended by section 88 of part PP of
52 chapter 56 and section 2 of part H of chapter 59 of the laws of 2022, is
53 amended to read as follows:
54 (A) who served on active duty in the United States army, navy, air
55 force, space force, marine corps, coast guard or the reserves thereof,
56 or who served in active military service of the United States as a
A. 8967 53
1 member of the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard or
2 New York naval militia, or who served in the active uniformed services
3 of the United States as a member of the commissioned corps of the
4 national oceanic and atmospheric administration or the commissioned
5 corps of the United States public health service; who (i) was released
6 from active duty by general or honorable discharge, or (ii) has a quali-
7 fying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
8 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
9 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a
10 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
11 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
12 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service;
13 § 102. Paragraph 18-a of subdivision (a) of section 1115 of the tax
14 law, as amended by section 89 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
15 2022, is amended to read as follows:
16 (18-a) Tangible personal property manufactured and sold by a veteran,
17 as defined in section twenty-two of the [veterans' services] veterans
18 and military families law, for the benefit of a veteran's service organ-
19 ization, provided that such person or any member of [his or her] their
20 household does not conduct a trade or business in which similar items
21 are sold, the first two thousand five hundred dollars of receipts from
22 such sales in a calendar year.
23 § 103. Subparagraph (A) of paragraph 2 of subdivision (g-1) of section
24 1511 of the tax law, as separately amended by section 90 of part PP of
25 chapter 56 and section 3 of part H of chapter 59 of the laws of 2022, is
26 amended to read as follows:
27 (A) who served on active duty in the United States army, navy, air
28 force, space force, marine corps, coast guard or the reserves thereof,
29 or who served in active military service of the United States as a
30 member of the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard or
31 New York naval militia, or who served in the active uniformed services
32 of the United States as a member of the commissioned corps of the
33 national oceanic and atmospheric administration or the commissioned
34 corps of the United States public health service; who (i) was released
35 from active duty by general or honorable discharge, or (ii) has a quali-
36 fying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
37 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
38 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a
39 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
40 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
41 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service;
42 § 104. Section 295 of the town law, as amended by section 91 of part
43 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
44 § 295. Removal of remains of deceased members of armed forces. Upon a
45 verified petition presented to a judge of a court of record by any armed
46 forces' organization in any town or city in this state by a majority of
47 its officers, or a majority of any memorial committee in any town or
48 city where there are two or more veteran armed forces' organizations, or
49 in towns or cities where there are no veteran armed forces' organiza-
50 tions, upon the petition of five or more veterans of the armed forces,
51 the judge to whom said verified petition is presented shall make an
52 order to show cause, returnable before [him or her] them at a time and
53 place within the county in not less than fourteen or more than twenty
54 days from the date of presentation of said petition, why the remains of
55 any deceased members of the armed forces buried in potter's field, or in
56 any neglected or abandoned cemeteries, should not be removed to and
A. 8967 54
1 reinterred in a properly kept incorporated cemetery in the same town or
2 city or in a town adjoining the town or city in which the remains of a
3 deceased member of the armed forces are buried, and to fix the amount of
4 the expenses for such removal and reinterment, and the order to show
5 cause shall provide for its publication in a newspaper, to be designated
6 in the order, which is published nearest to the cemetery from which the
7 removal is sought to be made, once in each week for two successive
8 weeks. The verified petition presented to the judge shall show that the
9 petitioners are a majority of the officers of a veteran armed forces
10 organization, or a majority of a memorial committee in towns or cities
11 where two or more veteran armed forces organizations exist, or that the
12 petitioners are honorably discharged veterans of the armed forces in
13 towns or cities where no veteran armed forces organization exists, or
14 that the petitioners have a qualifying condition, as defined in section
15 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
16 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
17 service and are in towns or cities where no veteran armed forces organ-
18 izations exist, or that the petitioners are discharged LGBT veterans, as
19 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military
20 families law, and received a discharge other than bad conduct or
21 dishonorable from such service and are in towns and cities where no
22 veteran armed forces organizations exist, and (1) the name of the
23 deceased member or members of the armed forces, whose remains are sought
24 to be removed, and if known the unit in which [he, she or] they served;
25 (2) the name and location of the cemetery in which [he or she is] they
26 are interred and from which removal is asked to be made; (3) the name
27 and location of the incorporated cemetery to which the remains are
28 desired to be removed and reinterred; (4) the facts showing the reasons
29 for such removal. Upon the return day of the order to show cause and at
30 the time and place fixed in said order, upon filing proof of publication
31 of the order to show cause with the judge, if no objection is made ther-
32 eto, [he or she] they shall make an order directing the removal of the
33 remains of said deceased member or members of the armed forces to the
34 cemetery designated in the petition within the town or city or within a
35 town adjoining the town or city in which the remains are then buried and
36 shall specify in the order the amount of the expenses of such removal,
37 which expenses of removal and reinterment, including the expense of the
38 proceeding under this section, shall be a charge upon the county in
39 which the town or city is situated from which the removal is made and
40 such expenses shall be a county charge and audited by the board of
41 supervisors of the county and paid in the same manner as other county
42 charges. On and after the removal and reinterment of the remains of the
43 deceased member or members of the armed forces in the armed forces'
44 plot, the expenses for annual care of the grave in the armed forces'
45 burial plot to which the removal is made shall be annually provided by
46 the town or city in which the remains were originally buried, at the
47 rate of not to exceed twenty dollars per grave, and shall be paid annu-
48 ally to the incorporated cemetery association to which the remains of
49 each deceased member of the armed forces may be removed and reinterred.
50 The petition and order shall be filed in the county clerk's office of
51 the county in which the remains of the deceased member of the armed
52 forces were originally interred, and the service of a certified copy of
53 the final order upon the cemetery association shall be made prior to any
54 removal. Any relative of the deceased member or members of the armed
55 forces, or the officer of any cemetery association in which the remains
56 of the deceased member or members of the armed forces were originally
A. 8967 55
1 interred, or the authorities of the county in which the member or
2 members of the armed forces were originally buried, may oppose the
3 granting of said order and the judge shall summarily hear the statement
4 of the parties and make such order as the justice and equity of the
5 application shall require. Any headstone or monument which marks the
6 grave of the deceased member of the armed forces shall be removed and
7 reset at the grave in the cemetery in which the removal is permitted to
8 be made and in each case the final order shall provide the amount of the
9 expenses of such removals and reinterment and resetting of the headstone
10 or monument, including the expenses of the proceedings under this
11 section; except that where provision is otherwise made for the purchase
12 or erection of a new headstone, monument or marker at the grave in the
13 cemetery to which such removal is permitted, such old headstone or monu-
14 ment need not be so removed and reset, in which case such final order
15 shall not provide for the expense of resetting. The order shall desig-
16 nate the person or persons having charge of the removals and reinter-
17 ments. Upon completion of the removal, reinterment and resetting of the
18 headstones or monuments, the person or persons having charge of the same
19 shall make a verified report of the removal, reinterment and resetting
20 of the headstone or monument and file the report in the clerk's office
21 of the proper county. The words "member of the armed forces" shall be
22 construed to mean a member of the armed forces who served in the armed
23 forces of the United States and who (5) was honorably discharged from
24 such service, or (6) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
25 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
26 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
27 such service, or (7) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
28 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
29 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
30 such service, and the words "armed forces plot" shall be construed to
31 mean a plot of land in any incorporated cemetery set apart to be exclu-
32 sively used as a place for interring the remains of deceased veterans of
33 the armed forces of the United States.
34 § 105. Subdivision 2 of section 404-v of the vehicle and traffic law,
35 as amended by section 92 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022,
36 is amended to read as follows:
37 2. The distinctive plate authorized pursuant to this section shall be
38 issued upon proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the applicant
39 is a veteran who served in the United States Naval Armed Guard and who
40 (1) was honorably discharged from such service, or (2) has a qualifying
41 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
42 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
43 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged
44 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
45 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
46 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
47 § 106. Subdivision 3 of section 404-v of the vehicle and traffic law,
48 as amended by section 93 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022,
49 is amended to read as follows:
50 3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued
51 in the same manner as other number plates upon the payment of the regu-
52 lar registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this
53 article, provided, however, that an additional annual service charge of
54 fifteen dollars shall be charged for such plate. Such annual service
55 charge shall be deposited to the credit of the Eighth Air Force Histor-
56 ical Society fund established pursuant to section ninety-five-f of the
A. 8967 56
1 state finance law and shall be used for veterans' counseling services
2 provided by local veterans' service agencies pursuant to section four-
3 teen of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law
4 under the direction of the department of [veterans' services] veterans
5 and military families. Provided, however, that one year after the effec-
6 tive date of this section funds in the amount of five thousand dollars,
7 or so much thereof as may be available, shall be allocated to the
8 department to offset costs associated with the production of such
9 license plates.
10 § 107. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 1 of section 404-w of the
11 vehicle and traffic law, as amended by section 94 of part PP of chapter
12 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
13 (a) a person who served in the armed forces of the United States in
14 the hostilities that occurred in the Persian Gulf from the eleventh day
15 of September, two thousand one, to the end of such hostilities, who (i)
16 was discharged therefrom under other than dishonorable conditions, or
17 (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
18 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
19 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
20 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
21 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
22 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
23 such service; or
24 (b) a person who served in the armed forces of the United States, in
25 the hostilities that occurred in Afghanistan from the eleventh day of
26 September, two thousand one, to the end of such hostilities, who (i) was
27 discharged therefrom under other than dishonorable conditions, or (ii)
28 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
29 services] veterans and military families law, and has received a
30 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
31 (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
32 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
33 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
34 service.
35 § 108. Subdivision 3 of section 404-w of the vehicle and traffic law,
36 as amended by section 95 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022,
37 is amended to read as follows:
38 3. For the purposes of this section, "Persian Gulf veteran" shall mean
39 a person who is a resident of this state, who served in the armed forces
40 of the United States in the hostilities that occurred in the Persian
41 Gulf from the second day of August, nineteen hundred ninety to the end
42 of such hostilities, and was (a) honorably discharged from the military,
43 or (b) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
44 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
45 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
46 service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one
47 of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
48 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
49 service.
50 § 109. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 3 of section 404-y of the
51 vehicle and traffic law, as amended by section 96 of part PP of chapter
52 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
53 (a) "Veteran of the Iraq War" shall mean a person who is a resident of
54 this state, who served in the armed forces of the United States in the
55 hostilities that occurred in Iraq from the sixteenth day of October, two
56 thousand two to the end of such hostilities who (i) was discharged ther-
A. 8967 57
1 efrom under other than dishonorable conditions or (ii) has a qualifying
2 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] veter-
3 ans and military families law, and has received a discharge other than
4 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged
5 LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
6 veterans and military families law, and has received a discharge other
7 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service; and
8 (b) "Veteran of the Afghanistan War" shall mean a person who is a
9 resident of this state, who served in the armed forces of the United
10 States in the hostilities that occurred in Afghanistan from the seventh
11 day of October, two thousand one to the end of such hostilities who (i)
12 was discharged therefrom under other than dishonorable conditions or
13 (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
14 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
15 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
16 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
17 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
18 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
19 such service.
20 § 110. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 490 of the vehicle
21 and traffic law, as amended by section 97 of part PP of chapter 56 of
22 the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
23 (b) The identification card shall contain a distinguishing number or
24 mark and adequate space upon which an anatomical gift, pursuant to arti-
25 cle forty-three of the public health law, by the holder may be recorded
26 and shall contain such other information and shall be issued in such
27 form as the commissioner shall determine; provided, however, every iden-
28 tification card or renewal thereof issued to a person under the age of
29 twenty-one years shall have prominently imprinted thereon the statement
30 "UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE" in notably distinctive print or format.
31 Provided, further, however, that every identification card issued to an
32 applicant who was a member of the armed forces of the United States and
33 (i) received an honorable discharge or was released therefrom under
34 honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in
35 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
36 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
37 from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
38 section one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families
39 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
40 from such service, shall, upon [his or her] their request and submission
41 of proof as set forth herein, contain a distinguishing mark, in such
42 form as the commissioner shall determine, indicating that [he or she is]
43 they are a veteran. Such proof shall consist of a certificate of release
44 or discharge from active duty including but not limited to a DD Form 214
45 or other proof satisfactory to the commissioner. The commissioner shall
46 not require fees for the issuance of such identification cards or
47 renewals thereof to persons under twenty-one years of age which are
48 different from the fees required for the issuance of identification
49 cards or renewals thereof to persons twenty-one years of age or over,
50 nor fees to persons requesting a veteran distinguishing mark which are
51 different from fees that would otherwise be required. Provided, however,
52 that notwithstanding the provisions of section four hundred ninety-one
53 of this article, the commissioner shall not require any fees for the
54 duplication or amendment of an identification card prior to its renewal
55 if such duplication or amendment was solely for the purpose of adding a
56 veteran distinguishing mark to such identification card.
A. 8967 58
1 § 111. Paragraph (a-1) of subdivision 1 of section 504 of the vehicle
2 and traffic law, as amended by section 98 of part PP of chapter 56 of
3 the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
4 (a-1) Every license or renewal thereof issued to an applicant who was
5 a member of the armed forces of the United States and who (i) received
6 an honorable discharge or was released therefrom under honorable condi-
7 tions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
8 the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and has
9 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
10 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
11 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
12 has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
13 such service, shall, upon [his or her] their request and submission of
14 proof as set forth herein, contain a distinguishing mark, in such form
15 as the commissioner shall determine, indicating that [he or she is] they
16 are a veteran. Such proof shall consist of a certificate of release or
17 discharge from active duty including but not limited to a DD Form 214 or
18 other proof satisfactory to the commissioner. The commissioner shall not
19 require fees for the issuance of such licenses or renewals thereof to
20 persons requesting a veteran distinguishing mark which are different
21 from fees otherwise required; provided, however, that notwithstanding
22 the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall not require fees
23 for a duplication or amendment of a license prior to its renewal if such
24 duplication or amendment was solely for the purpose of adding a veteran
25 distinguishing mark to such license.
26 § 112. Subdivision 6 of section 508 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
27 amended by chapter 449 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
28 follows:
29 6. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of the
30 department of [veterans' services] veterans and military families, is
31 directed to establish a process by which the department shall refer
32 driver's license and non-driver identification card applicants request-
33 ing and obtaining a notation upon such license or non-driver identifica-
34 tion card that such applicant is a veteran of the United States armed
35 forces pursuant to subdivision three of section four hundred ninety of
36 this chapter or subdivision one of section five hundred two of this
37 article, upon such applicant's request, to the department of [veterans'
38 services] veterans and military families, consistent with the provisions
39 of section seven of the [veterans' services] veterans and military fami-
40 lies law.
41 § 113. The second undesignated subparagraph of paragraph (a) of subdi-
42 vision 8 of section 15 of the workers' compensation law, as amended by
43 section 99 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
44 read as follows:
45 Second: That any plan which will reasonably, equitably and practically
46 operate to break down hindrances and remove obstacles to the employment
47 of partially disabled persons who (i) are honorably discharged from our
48 armed forces, or (ii) have a qualifying condition, as defined in section
49 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
50 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
51 service, or (iii) are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined in section
52 one of the [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and
53 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
54 service, or any other physically handicapped persons, is of vital impor-
55 tance to the state and its people and is of concern to this legislature;
A. 8967 59
1 § 114. Subdivision 1 of section 20 of chapter 784 of the laws of 1951,
2 constituting the New York state defense emergency act, as amended by
3 section 24 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
4 read as follows:
5 1. There is hereby continued in the division of military and naval
6 affairs in the executive department a state civil defense commission to
7 consist of the same members as the members of the disaster preparedness
8 commission as established in article two-B of the executive law. In
9 addition, the superintendent of financial services, the chairperson of
10 the workers' compensation board and the commissioner of the department
11 of [veterans' services] veterans and military families shall be members.
12 The governor shall designate one of the members of the commission to be
13 the chairperson thereof. The commission may provide for its division
14 into subcommittees and for action by such subcommittees with the same
15 force and effect as action by the full commission. The members of the
16 commission, except for those who serve ex officio, shall be allowed
17 their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
18 duties under this article but shall receive no additional compensation
19 for services rendered pursuant to this article.
20 § 115. Subdivision 3 of section 16-t of section 1 of chapter 174 of
21 the laws of 1968, constituting the New York state urban development
22 corporation act, as amended by chapter 617 of the laws of 2023, is
23 amended to read as follows:
24 3. Program loans to small businesses and micro-businesses shall be
25 targeted and marketed to minority and women-owned enterprises, veteran-
26 owned enterprises as set forth in 15 U.S.C. section 632(Q)(3), as
27 amended from time to time, and service-disabled veteran-owned enter-
28 prises as set forth in article three of the [veterans' services] veter-
29 ans and military families law, and other small businesses and micro-bu-
30 sinesses that are having difficulty accessing traditional credit
31 markets. Program loans to small businesses and micro-businesses shall be
32 used for the creation and retention of jobs, as defined by the corpo-
33 ration, including: (a) working capital; (b) the acquisition and/or
34 improvement of real property; (c) the acquisition of machinery and
35 equipment, property or improvement; or (d) the refinancing of debt obli-
36 gations. There shall be two categories of loans to small businesses and
37 micro-businesses: a micro loan that shall have a principal amount that
38 is less than twenty-five thousand dollars and a regular loan that shall
39 have a principal amount not less than twenty-five thousand dollars.
40 Prior to receiving program funds, the lending organization must certify
41 to the corporation that such loan complies with this section and rules
42 and regulations promulgated for the program and that the lending organ-
43 ization has performed its obligations pursuant to and is in compliance
44 with this section, the program rules and regulations and all agreements
45 entered into between the corporation and the lending organization. The
46 program funds amount used by the lending organization to fund a program
47 applicant loan shall not be more than fifty percent of the principal
48 amount of such loan. The program funds amount used by the lending organ-
49 ization to fund a program applicant loan shall not be greater than one
50 hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. Minority- and women-owned
51 business enterprises, veteran-owned enterprises as set forth in 15
52 U.S.C. section 632(Q)(3), as amended from time to time, and service-dis-
53 abled veteran-owned enterprises as set forth in article three of the
54 [veterans' services] veterans and military families law, and other small
55 businesses or micro-businesses who access such program loans under this
A. 8967 60
1 subdivision shall not be precluded from accessing such short-term
2 financing loans provided under subdivision eleven of this section.
3 § 116. Paragraph 2 of subdivision b of section 31-102 of the adminis-
4 trative code of the city of New York, as amended by section 25 of part
5 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
6 2. links to websites describing veteran employment services provided
7 by the federal government and New York state government, including, but
8 not limited to, the websites of the United States department of labor,
9 the New York state department of labor, the United States department of
10 veterans affairs, and the New York state department of [veterans'
11 services] veterans and military families; and
12 § 117. Subdivision a of section 3102 of the New York city charter, as
13 amended by section 26 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
14 amended to read as follows:
15 a. Except as otherwise provided by law, the commissioner shall have
16 such powers as provided by the commissioner of the state department
17 [veterans' services'] of veterans and military families and shall have
18 the duty to inform military and naval authorities of the United States
19 and assist members of the armed forces and veterans, who are residents
20 of the city, and their families, in relation to: (1) matters pertaining
21 to educational training and retraining services and facilities, (2)
22 health, medical and rehabilitation service and facilities, (3)
23 provisions of federal, state and local laws and regulations affording
24 special rights and privileges to members of the armed forces and veter-
25 ans and their families, (4) employment and re-employment services, and
26 (5) other matters of similar, related or appropriate nature. The commis-
27 sioner shall also assist families of members of the reserve components
28 of the armed forces and the organized militia ordered into active duty
29 to ensure that they are made aware of and are receiving all appropriate
30 support available to them. The department also shall perform such other
31 duties as may be assigned by the state commissioner of the department of
32 [veterans' services] veterans and military families.
33 § 118. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, the
34 amendments made to paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section 50 of the
35 civil service law made by section twenty of this act shall be subject to
36 the expiration and reversion of such paragraph when upon such date the
37 provisions of section twenty-a of this act shall take effect; provided
38 further, however, the amendments made to section thirty-three-a of this
39 act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter
40 453 of the laws of 2024 takes effect; provided further, however, the
41 amendments made to sections forty-three and seventy-two of this act
42 shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter 625
43 of the laws of 2024 takes effect; provided further, however, the amend-
44 ments made to sections seventy-seven and seventy-eight of this act shall
45 take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter 623 of
46 the laws of 2024 takes effect; provided further, however, that the
47 amendments to section 163 of the state finance law made by section nine-
48 ty-seven of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and
49 shall be deemed repealed therewith; provided further, however, that the
50 amendments to section 103-a of the state technology law made by section
51 ninety-nine of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and
52 shall be deemed repealed therewith.
