Determines that disability compensation or benefits received by veterans from the United States department of veterans affairs are not to be treated as income or resources for purposes of determining eligibility for means-tested programs.
This bill expands veterans' preference in New York's affordable Mitchell-Lama housing programs to include veterans who did not serve during a time of war. It requires housing agencies to give priority in admission to veterans (as defined by Civil Service Law §85) and their surviving spouses, regardless of wartime service, and to clearly state this preference on applications. The change applies to both open waiting lists and closed lists when they reopen. This policy update directly affects veterans applying for Mitchell-Lama housing units across New York State.
Requires that the state university of New York's board of trustees and the city university of New York's board of trustees shall each adopt a policy requiring all state university of New York, city university of New York, college, and community college campuses that offer membership programs to the general public for the use of fitness and aquatic facilities, to permit disabled veterans to obtain a membership for the use of fitness and aquatic facilities upon the same terms and conditions as apply to the general public, but without payment of any fees or other charges, or at a discounted rate; defines "disabled veteran".
This bill expands property tax exemptions for disabled veterans by removing the requirement that they must have served during a "period of war." It directly affects veterans with a 60% or higher service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, regardless of when they served. The key mechanism amends the legal definition of "veteran" to include these individuals without needing proof of wartime service. This change ensures eligible disabled veterans qualify for the tax break based solely on their disability rating and honorable service, effective for property tax assessments starting August 30, 2008.
Establishes a legal services veterans tax credit of up to $1,500 for any attorney who performs a minimum of fifty hours of pro bono legal services to a veteran or disabled veteran during a taxable year; provides that such services shall include, but not be limited to, veteran's benefits and appeals, military discharges and upgrades, public benefits, evictions and foreclosures, and consumer debt issues.
Requires employers to offer paid leave of absence to veterans on Veterans' day, except for emergency or critical employees, who shall be offered another day of paid leave.
This bill expands New York's property tax exemption for veterans to include active-duty military members. It defines "active military service" to cover full-time duty in all U.S. military branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard), allowing currently serving personnel to qualify. Local governments must adopt separate resolutions after public hearings to extend the exemption to these active-duty members, distinct from existing veteran exemptions. The changes apply to property tax assessments starting January 1 after the bill takes effect.
This bill creates New York's Veteran Student Loan Forgiveness Program, providing eligible veterans with up to $10,000 annually toward student loan debt for up to five years (capping at $50,000 total). It directly affects New York resident veterans who: graduated from a New York college/university, hold student loans from that degree, work full-time in New York, agree to reside in the state for five years, and have no prior federal loan forgiveness. Priority is given to veterans with a 40%+ disability rating from military service or documented economic hardship. The program is funded through state appropriations, with awards disbursed competitively based on established eligibility rules.
Grants a combat veteran tax credit for entrepreneurs to provide a five hundred dollar tax credit to combat veteran entrepreneurs who create a business in New York state.
Expands the definition of veteran to include members of the commissioned corps of the NOAA and the commissioned corps of the public health service; expands access to certain benefits to those who served in the commissioned corps of the NOAA and the commissioned corps of the public health service.
