Add §216-a, Art 14 §§400 - 405, Mil L; add §82, St Fin L; amd §5205, CPLR; amd §§612 & 658, Tax L; amd §190,
Exec L
Establishes the "New York's Own combat veterans healthcare choice program act" to establish tax free savings accounts to pay the healthcare costs of combat veterans on active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, until covered by the federal government; and directs the division of military and naval affairs to establish a registry of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8298--B
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
June 6, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted
to the Committee on Ways and Means in accordance with Assembly Rule 3,
sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the military law, the state finance law, the civil prac-
tice law and rules, the tax law and the executive law, in relation to
establishing the "New York's Own combat veterans healthcare choice
program act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "New York's Own combat veterans healthcare choice program act".
3 § 2. The military law is amended by adding a new section 216-a to read
4 as follows:
5 § 216-a. Medical care when injured or disabled in combat zone. 1. Any
6 New York resident member of the organized militia who shall, when on
7 active duty in a combat zone, designated by the president of the United
8 States during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, for
9 three hundred sixty days or more on orders issued by the governor, the
10 commanding general of the New York army national guard, the commanding
11 officer of the New York air national guard or the commanding officer of
12 the naval militia, receive any wound or injury, or incur or contract any
13 disability or disease, by reason of such duty, or who shall without
14 fault or neglect on his or her part be wounded or disabled while
15 performing any lawfully ordered duty while in such a combat zone, which
16 shall incapacitate him or her, and who is unable to receive timely or
17 adequate healthcare services from the federal Department of Veterans
18 Affairs within ninety days of making application for such services shall
19 receive the payment into such service member's New York combat veterans
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02315-11-8
A. 8298--B 2
1 healthcare choice account established pursuant to article fourteen of
2 this chapter for care and medical treatment if authority therefor is
3 granted by the adjutant general, expenses for such care and medical
4 attendance as are necessary for the appropriate treatment of the wound,
5 injury, disease or disability may be paid from the New York combat
6 veterans healthcare choice account as provided in article fourteen of
7 this chapter until treatment is provided by the federal Veterans Admin-
8 istration, or the incapacity resulting from such wound, injury, disease
9 or disability cannot be materially improved by further care or treat-
10 ment. The determination of whether such injury or disease was incurred
11 while performing such lawfully ordered active duty in a combat zone,
12 designated by the president of the United States during Operation Endur-
13 ing Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, shall be in accordance with this
14 section and such regulations as may be prescribed by the adjutant gener-
15 al.
16 2. If care for such a service member is approved by the adjutant
17 general and the service member shall have created a New York combat
18 veterans healthcare choice account in accordance with article fourteen
19 of this chapter, the state shall make a payment of five thousand dollars
20 into such service member's combat veterans healthcare choice account.
21 Such payment shall not exceed five thousand dollars in any calendar year
22 and shall be discontinued upon the service member receiving care from
23 the federal Department of Veterans Affairs for the injuries or disabili-
24 ties sustained while in qualified state service.
25 3. None of the benefits provided by subdivision one of this section
26 shall be paid or allowed unless a claim therefor has been presented to
27 the adjutant general within three years after the date when such wound,
28 injury, disease or disability was incurred, or from the date of discov-
29 ery of such wound, injury, disease or disability. None of the benefits
30 provided by subdivision one of this section shall be paid or allowed by
31 the state for any period during which such member of the organized mili-
32 tia is entitled to receive the same as a charge against federal funds.
33 4. a. Where a claim is made under this section the adjutant general
34 will make a determination as to whether valid application or attempt to
35 schedule an appointment to file an application for care was made to the
36 federal Veterans Administration and whether ninety days shall have
37 passed since such application or attempt was made. The adjutant general
38 may cause examinations of the claimant to be made from time to time by a
39 physician, surgeon or dentist designated for the purpose by the adjutant
40 general, and he or she may direct the removal of a claimant to, and his
41 or her treatment in, a hospital designated by the adjutant general, and
42 if the claimant refuses to permit any such examination or if he or she
43 refuses to go to such hospital or to follow the advice given or treat-
44 ment prescribed for him or her therein, he or she shall thereby forfeit
45 and be barred from all right to any claim or allowance under this
46 section.
47 b. The adjutant general may appoint a medical examiner or a board of
48 three officers, at least one of whom shall be a medical officer, to
49 inquire into the merits of any claim presented under this section, and
50 to recommend the amount or amounts, if any, to be paid or allowed under
51 this section, or he or she may, in his or her discretion, determine any
52 claim without appointing a medical examiner or board and fix the amount
53 to be paid or allowed under this section. If no medical officer is
54 available, such medical examiner or medical officer on such board may be
55 a civilian physician, surgeon or dentist.
A. 8298--B 3
1 c. A medical examiner or board appointed under this section shall have
2 the same power to take evidence, administer oaths, issue subpoenas and
3 compel witnesses to attend and testify and to produce books and papers,
4 and to punish their failure to do so as is possessed by military courts.
5 d. The findings and recommendations of the medical examiner or board
6 shall be submitted to the adjutant general who may return the
7 proceedings to such examiner or board for reconsideration or for taking
8 further testimony and who shall approve or disapprove the claim and fix
9 the amount, if any, to be paid or allowed under this section. The amount
10 so fixed by the adjutant general shall be a charge against and be paid
11 in the manner provided by this section, by the state.
12 § 3. The military law is amended by adding a new article 14 to read as
13 follows:
14 ARTICLE 14
15 NEW YORK'S OWN COMBAT VETERANS HEALTHCARE CHOICE PROGRAM
16 Section 400. Program established.
17 401. Purpose.
18 402. Definitions.
19 403. Functions of the comptroller and the division.
20 404. Program requirements; New York combat veterans healthcare
21 choice account.
22 405. Program limitations; New York combat veterans healthcare
23 choice account.
24 § 400. Program established. There is hereby established the New York
25 combat veterans healthcare choice program and such program shall be
26 known and may be cited as the "New York's Own combat veterans healthcare
27 choice program".
28 § 401. Purpose. The purposes of the New York combat veterans health-
29 care choice program are to authorize the establishment of veterans
30 healthcare choice accounts and provide guidelines for the maintenance of
31 such accounts to:
32 1. Enable resident veteran members of the organized militia of this
33 state who were on active duty in a combat zone, designated by the presi-
34 dent of the United States during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation
35 Iraqi Freedom, to obtain healthcare from the provider of their choice,
36 with funds from a New York combat veterans healthcare choice account
37 funded by the state and the service member in accordance with this arti-
38 cle, when after ninety days of making application to or attempting to
39 schedule an appointment with the federal Veterans Administration for
40 such care, the service member is unable to secure timely or adequate
41 healthcare services for injuries and disabilities sustained in the line
42 of active duty in such a combat zone, whenever ordered into such combat
43 zone for three hundred sixty days or more by the governor, the command-
44 ing general of the New York army national guard, the commanding officer
45 of the New York air national guard or the commanding officer of the
46 naval militia;
47 2. Provide funding from the state for New York combat veterans health-
48 care choice accounts in an amount of up to five thousand dollars per
49 calendar year for a period not to exceed three years, when in accordance
50 with this article, a qualified state resident combat veteran is unable
51 to secure healthcare services within ninety days of making application
52 or scheduling an appointment to make such an application for such
53 services from the federal Veterans Administration; and
54 3. To create a state personal income tax deduction for amounts
55 contributed by qualified resident combat veterans to a New York combat
A. 8298--B 4
1 veterans healthcare choice account in an amount not to exceed five thou-
2 sand dollars per calendar year as provided in this article.
3 § 402. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall
4 have the following meanings:
5 1. "Account" or "New York combat veterans healthcare choice account"
6 shall mean an individual savings account established in accordance with
7 the provisions of this article.
8 2. "Account owner" shall mean a person who enters into a New York
9 combat veterans healthcare choice account agreement pursuant to the
10 provisions of this article, including a person who enters into such an
11 agreement as a fiduciary or agent on behalf of a trust, estate, partner-
12 ship, association, company or corporation. The account owner may also be
13 the designated beneficiary of the account.
14 3. "Designated beneficiary" shall mean, with respect to an account or
15 accounts, the individual designated as the individual whose healthcare
16 expenses are expected to be paid from the account or accounts.
17 4. "Financial organization" shall mean an organization authorized to
18 do business in the state of New York and (a) is an authorized fiduciary
19 to act as a trustee pursuant to the provisions of an Act of Congress
20 entitled "Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974" as such
21 provisions may be amended from time to time, or an insurance company;
22 and (b)(i) is licensed or chartered by the department of financial
23 services, (ii) is chartered by an agency of the federal government,
24 (iii) is subject to the jurisdiction and regulation of the securities
25 and exchange commission of the federal government, or (iv) is any other
26 entity otherwise authorized to act in this state as a trustee of a
27 health savings account pursuant to the provisions of an act of congress
28 entitled the "Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization
29 Act", as such provisions may be amended from time to time.
30 5. "Eligible healthcare institution" shall mean any institution
31 licensed, certified or authorized by the state to provide healthcare
32 services.
33 6. "Member of family" shall mean a family member as defined in section
34 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
35 7. "Program" shall mean the New York combat veterans healthcare choice
36 account program established pursuant to this article.
37 8. "Qualified healthcare expenses" shall mean any medical expense
38 deductible on federal income taxes.
39 9. "Qualified state service" shall mean active duty service rendered
40 while being ordered into a combat zone, designated by the president of
41 the United States during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi
42 Freedom, for three hundred sixty days or more by the governor, the
43 commanding general of the New York army national guard, the commanding
44 officer of the New York air national guard or the commanding officer of
45 the naval militia.
46 10. "Qualified withdrawal" shall mean a withdrawal from an account to
47 pay the qualified healthcare expenses of a service member or designated
48 beneficiary of an account at an eligible healthcare institution.
49 11. "Nonqualified withdrawal" shall mean a withdrawal from an account
50 which is not:
51 a. a qualified withdrawal; or
52 b. a withdrawal made as the result of the death or disability of the
53 designated beneficiary of the account.
54 12. "Division" shall mean the division of military and naval affairs.
55 13. "Comptroller" shall mean the state comptroller.
A. 8298--B 5
1 14. "Management contract" shall mean the contract executed by the
2 comptroller and a financial organization selected to act as a depository
3 and manager of the program.
4 15. "New York combat veterans healthcare choice account agreement"
5 shall mean an agreement between the comptroller or a financial organiza-
6 tion and an account owner.
7 16. "Program manager" shall mean a financial organization selected by
8 the comptroller to act as depository and manager of the program.
9 § 403. Functions of the comptroller and the division. 1. The comp-
10 troller and the division shall implement the program under the terms and
11 conditions established by this article and a memorandum of understanding
12 relating to any terms or conditions not otherwise expressly provided for
13 in this article.
14 2. In furtherance of such implementation the memorandum of understand-
15 ing shall address the authority and responsibility of the comptroller
16 and the division to:
17 a. develop and implement the program in a manner consistent with the
18 provisions of this article through rules and regulations established in
19 accordance with the state administrative procedure act;
20 b. engage the services of consultants on a contract basis for render-
21 ing professional and technical assistance and advice;
22 c. seek rulings and other guidance from the United States Department
23 of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service relating to the program;
24 d. make changes to the program required for the participants in the
25 program to obtain the federal income tax benefits or treatment provided
26 for health savings accounts;
27 e. charge, impose and collect administrative fees and service charges
28 in connection with any agreement, contract or transaction relating to
29 the program;
30 f. develop marketing plans and promotion material;
31 g. establish the methods by which the funds held in such accounts be
32 dispersed;
33 h. establish the method by which funds shall be allocated to pay for
34 administrative costs; and
35 i. do all things necessary and proper to carry out the purposes of
36 this article.
37 § 404. Program requirements; New York combat veterans healthcare
38 choice account. 1. New York combat veterans healthcare choice accounts
39 established pursuant to the provisions of this article shall be governed
40 by the provisions of this section.
41 2. A New York combat veterans healthcare choice account may be opened
42 by any person who desires to save money for the payment of the qualified
43 healthcare expenses of the designated beneficiary. An account owner may
44 designate another qualified service member as successor owner of the
45 account in the event of the death of the original account owner. Such
46 person who opens an account or any successor owner shall be considered
47 the account owner.
48 a. An application for such account shall be in the form prescribed by
49 the program and contain the following:
50 (i) the name, address and social security number or employer identifi-
51 cation number of the account owner;
52 (ii) the designation of a designated beneficiary;
53 (iii) the name, address, and social security number of the designated
54 beneficiary; and
55 (iv) such other information as the program may require.
A. 8298--B 6
1 b. The comptroller and the division may establish a nominal fee for
2 such application.
3 3. Any person, including the account owner, may make contributions to
4 the account after the account is opened.
5 4. Contributions to accounts may be made only in cash.
6 5. An account owner may make a qualified withdrawal of all or part of
7 the balance from an account on sixty days notice or such shorter period
8 as may be authorized under rules governing the program. Such rules shall
9 include provisions that will generally enable the determination as to
10 whether a withdrawal is a nonqualified withdrawal or a qualified with-
11 drawal.
12 6. An account owner may change the designated beneficiary of an
13 account to a service member who is a member of the family of the prior
14 designated beneficiary in accordance with procedures established by the
15 memorandum of understanding pursuant to the provisions of section four
16 hundred three of this article.
17 7. The program shall provide separate accounting for each designated
18 beneficiary.
19 8. No account owner or designated beneficiary of any account shall be
20 permitted to direct the investment of any contributions to an account or
21 the earnings thereon more than two times in any calendar year.
22 9. Neither an account owner nor a designated beneficiary may use an
23 interest in an account as security for a loan. Any pledge of an interest
24 in an account shall be of no force and effect.
25 10. The comptroller shall promulgate rules or regulations to prevent
26 contributions on behalf of a designated beneficiary in excess of an
27 amount that would cause the aggregate account balance for all accounts
28 for a designated beneficiary to exceed a maximum account balance, as
29 established from time to time by the comptroller and the division on the
30 basis of healthcare costs in the state, with adequate safeguards to
31 prevent more contributions than necessary to provide for the qualified
32 healthcare costs of the beneficiary, as required to maintain the program
33 as a "qualified health savings program" pursuant to federal law.
34 11. a. If there is any distribution from an account to any individual
35 or for the benefit of any individual during a calendar year, such
36 distribution shall be reported to the Internal Revenue Service and the
37 account owner, the designated beneficiary, or the distributee to the
38 extent required by federal law or regulation.
39 b. Statements shall be provided to each account owner at least once
40 each year within sixty days after the end of the twelve month period to
41 which they relate. The statement shall identify the contributions made
42 during a preceding twelve month period, the total contributions made to
43 the account through the end of the period, the value of the account at
44 the end of such period, distributions made during such period and any
45 other information that the comptroller shall require to be reported to
46 the account owner.
47 c. Statements and information relating to accounts shall be prepared
48 and filed to the extent required by federal and state tax law.
49 12. a. A local government or organization described in section
50 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, may open and
51 become the account owner of an account to fund qualified healthcare
52 expenses for persons whose identity will be determined upon disburse-
53 ment.
54 b. In the case of any account opened pursuant to paragraph a of this
55 subdivision the requirement set forth in subdivision two of this section
56 that a designated beneficiary be designated when an account is opened
A. 8298--B 7
1 shall not apply and each individual who receives an interest in such
2 account as a qualified healthcare expense grant shall be treated as a
3 designated beneficiary with respect to such interest.
4 13. An annual fee may be imposed upon the account owner for the main-
5 tenance of the account.
6 14. The program shall disclose the following information in writing to
7 each account owner and prospective account owner of a New York combat
8 veterans healthcare choice account:
9 a. the terms and conditions for purchasing a New York combat veterans
10 healthcare choice account;
11 b. any restrictions on the substitution of beneficiaries;
12 c. the person or entity entitled to terminate the New York combat
13 veterans healthcare choice account agreement;
14 d. the period of time during which a beneficiary may receive benefits
15 under the New York combat veterans healthcare choice account agreement;
16 e. the terms and conditions under which money may be wholly or
17 partially withdrawn from the program, including, but not limited to, any
18 reasonable charges and fees that may be imposed for withdrawal;
19 f. the probable tax consequences associated with contributions to and
20 distributions from accounts; and
21 g. all other rights and obligations pursuant to New York combat veter-
22 ans healthcare choice account agreements, and any other terms, condi-
23 tions, and provisions deemed necessary and appropriate by the terms of
24 the memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to section four
25 hundred three of this article.
26 15. New York combat veterans healthcare choice account agreements
27 shall be subject to section fourteen-c of the banking law and the
28 "truth-in-savings" regulations promulgated thereunder.
29 16. Nothing in this article or in any New York combat veterans health-
30 care choice account agreement entered into pursuant to this article
31 shall be construed as a guarantee by the state or any healthcare provid-
32 er that a beneficiary will be admitted to an eligible healthcare insti-
33 tution, or, upon admission to an eligible healthcare institution will be
34 permitted to remain in such eligible healthcare institution.
35 § 405. Program limitations; New York combat veterans healthcare choice
36 account. 1. Nothing in this article shall be construed to:
37 a. give any designated beneficiary any rights or legal interest with
38 respect to an account unless the designated beneficiary is the account
39 owner;
40 b. guarantee that a designated beneficiary will be admitted to an
41 eligible healthcare institution;
42 c. create state residency for an individual merely because the indi-
43 vidual is a designated beneficiary; or
44 d. guarantee that amounts saved pursuant to the program will be suffi-
45 cient to cover the qualified healthcare expenses of a designated benefi-
46 ciary.
47 2. a. Nothing in this article shall create or be construed to create
48 any obligation of the comptroller, the state, or any agency or instru-
49 mentality of the state to guarantee for the benefit of any account owner
50 or designated beneficiary with respect to:
51 (i) the rate of interest or other return on any account; and
52 (ii) the payment of interest or other return on any account.
53 b. The comptroller and the division by rule or regulation shall
54 provide that every contract, application, deposit slip, or other similar
55 document that may be used in connection with a contribution to an
56 account clearly indicate that the account is not insured by the state
A. 8298--B 8
1 and neither the principal deposited nor the investment return is guaran-
2 teed by the state.
3 § 4. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 82 to
4 read as follows:
5 § 82. New York combat veterans healthcare choice program trust fund.
6 1. There is hereby established in the sole custody of the state comp-
7 troller a special fund to be known as the New York combat veterans
8 healthcare choice program trust fund. All payments from such fund shall
9 be made in accordance with article fourteen of the military law and the
10 memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant thereto on the audit
11 of the state comptroller.
12 2. The fund shall be a trust fund and shall consist of a trust account
13 and an operating account. The trust account shall include amounts
14 received by the New York combat veterans healthcare choice program
15 pursuant to New York combat veterans healthcare choice account agree-
16 ments, administrative charges, fees, and all other amounts received by
17 the program from other sources, and interest and investment income
18 earned by the trust fund. The comptroller shall, from time to time, make
19 transfers from the trust account to the operating account for the imme-
20 diate payment of obligations under New York combat veterans healthcare
21 choice account agreements, operating expenses and administrative costs
22 of the New York combat veterans healthcare choice account. Administra-
23 tive costs shall be paid out of the operating account according to the
24 terms and conditions established pursuant to the provisions of section
25 four hundred three of the military law.
26 3. (a) The comptroller, as trustee, shall invest the assets of the
27 trust fund in investments authorized by article four-A of the retirement
28 and social security law, provided however, that:
29 (i) the provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision two of section one
30 hundred seventy-seven of the retirement and social security law shall
31 not apply except for the first clause of subparagraph (ii) of such para-
32 graph; and
33 (ii) notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision seven of section
34 one hundred seventy-seven of the retirement and social security law or
35 any other law to the contrary, the assets of the trust fund may be
36 invested in any funding agreement issued in accordance with section
37 three thousand two hundred twenty-two of the insurance law by a domestic
38 life insurance company or a foreign life insurance company doing busi-
39 ness in this state, subject to the following:
40 (1) such a funding agreement may provide for a guaranteed minimum rate
41 of return;
42 (2) such a funding agreement may be allocated as either a separate
43 account or a general account of the issuer, as the comptroller may
44 decide;
45 (3) total investments of the trust fund pursuant to this paragraph in
46 any funding agreements issued by a single life insurance company which
47 are allocated as a general account of the issuer shall not, in the
48 aggregate, exceed three hundred fifty million dollars; and
49 (4) no assets of the trust fund shall be invested in any such funding
50 agreement unless, at the time of such investment, the general obli-
51 gations or financial strength of the issuer have received either the
52 highest or second highest rating by two nationally recognized rating
53 services or by one nationally recognized rating service in the event
54 that only one such service rates such obligations.
55 (b) Trust fund assets shall be kept separate and shall not be commin-
56 gled with other assets, except as provided in this section. The comp-
A. 8298--B 9
1 troller may enter into contracts to provide for investment advice and
2 management, custodial services, and other professional services for the
3 administration and investment of the program. Administrative fees, costs
4 and expenses, including investment fees and expenses, shall be paid from
5 the assets of the fund.
6 4. The comptroller shall provide for the administration of the trust
7 fund, including maintaining participant records and accounts, and
8 providing annual audited reports. The comptroller may enter into
9 contracts to provide administrative services and reporting.
10 § 5. Section 5205 of the civil practice law and rules is amended by
11 adding a new subdivision (p) to read as follows:
12 (p) Exemption for New York combat veterans healthcare choice program
13 trust fund payment monies. Monies in an account created pursuant to
14 article fourteen of the military law are exempt from application to the
15 satisfaction of a money judgment.
16 § 6. Subsection (b) of section 612 of the tax law is amended by adding
17 a new paragraph 43 to read as follows:
18 (43) Distributions received during the taxable year by a distribution
19 of a New York combat veterans healthcare choice account established
20 pursuant to article fourteen of the military law, to the extent such
21 distributions are not qualified withdrawals within the meaning of subdi-
22 vision ten of section four hundred two of the military law.
23 § 7. Subsection (c) of section 612 of the tax law is amended by adding
24 two new paragraphs 44 and 45 to read as follows:
25 (44) Contributions made during the taxable year by an account owner to
26 one or more New York combat veterans healthcare choice accounts estab-
27 lished pursuant to article fourteen of the military law, to the extent
28 not deductible or eligible for credit for federal income tax purposes,
29 provided, however, the exclusion provided for in this paragraph shall
30 not exceed five thousand dollars for an individual or head of household,
31 and for married couples who file joint tax returns, shall not exceed ten
32 thousand dollars; provided, further, that such exclusion shall be avail-
33 able only to the account owner and not to any other person.
34 (45) Distributions from a New York combat veterans healthcare choice
35 account established pursuant to article fourteen of the military law, to
36 the extent includible in gross income for federal income tax purposes.
37 § 8. Subsection (d) of section 658 of the tax law is amended by adding
38 a new paragraph 4 to read as follows:
39 (4) The commissioner may by regulation or instruction require the
40 filing of a report annually by the comptroller or program manager of the
41 New York combat veterans healthcare choice program, or their designee,
42 setting forth the names and identification numbers of account owners,
43 designated beneficiaries and distributees of New York combat veterans
44 healthcare choice program accounts, the amounts contributed to such
45 accounts, the amounts distributed from such accounts and the nature of
46 such distributions as qualified withdrawals or as withdrawals other than
47 qualified withdrawals, and any such other information as the commission-
48 er may require regarding the taxation under this article of amounts
49 contributed to or withdrawn from such accounts. The commissioner may
50 require that any such report also be made to the account owner, desig-
51 nated beneficiary or distributee of any such account.
52 § 9. Section 190 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
53 subdivision 6 to read as follows:
54 6. The division of military and naval affairs shall establish and
55 maintain a voluntary registry of state residents who are honorably
56 discharged veterans of the armed forces of the United States, and who
A. 8298--B 10
1 served on regular active duty (other than for training) during part of
2 one of the following periods:
3 (a) from September eighteenth, two thousand one until the end of the
4 United States military efforts in Afghanistan; or
5 (b) from October sixteenth, two thousand two until the end of the
6 United States military efforts in Iraq.
7 The information in such registry shall be deemed confidential, and may
8 only be accessed by such veteran for purposes of proof of his or her
9 military service.
10 § 10. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to taxa-
11 ble years beginning after December 31, 2018.
