Expands the veterans tuition awards program to include all persons who were honorably discharged and were residents of the state before and after serving in the armed forces of the United States; provides veterans an award equal to the in-state tuition paid at a state university for each semester the veteran is engaged in undergraduate, graduate or vocational study.
Establishes a returning veterans tax credit for businesses that hire veterans and disabled veterans; provides that such tax credit is worth $3,000 per veteran hired or $4,000 for every disabled veteran hired and the total benefit shall not exceed $15,000 annually.
This bill amends New York's executive law to explicitly include veterans in the legal definition of "military status." It expands the existing definition to cover individuals who have been released from military service, ensuring veterans receive the same anti-discrimination protections as active military personnel. The change directly affects veterans in New York who may face discrimination in employment, housing, or other areas governed by laws prohibiting military status discrimination. The key mechanism is a textual update to the definition, adding "a person's participation in the military service... if such person has been released from such service." This creates a clear, concrete policy change without altering existing enforcement mechanisms.
Establishes the hire a vet grant program; provides grants to municipalities where a veteran is hired and employed, for not less than twelve continuous and uninterrupted months in a full-time or part-time position.
This bill establishes a half-fare program on all MTA systems (subways, buses, commuter rail) for New York State veterans who are currently enrolled students. It directly affects veterans who are full-time or part-time undergraduate, graduate, or vocational students at accredited colleges, universities, or approved vocational schools in New York. To qualify, veterans must be New York residents, honorably discharged from military service, and present a valid veteran ID card.
Bill A 8425 directs the New York State Department of Veterans' Services to conduct a comprehensive study on veterans' employment opportunities and incentives within the state. The study will involve consulting with several state agencies and veteran organizations. It aims to review the current system for awarding civil service credit to veterans, analyze potential new criteria for these credits, and assess existing employment protections. The bill also focuses on methods to help veterans, including those recently displaced from federal employment, transition into state employment and recommends additional incentives for employers to recruit and retain veteran employees. A report detailing the findings and recommendations must be submitted by December 31, 2027.
Provides a legacy credit to the children and siblings of veterans who were killed in the line of duty including veterans who were disabled as a result of their service, exposed to toxic substances, or presumptive conditions determined by the department of veterans affairs.
Provides real property tax relief to veterans who have at least ten years of service in the U.S. armed forces or in the organized militia of the state of New York.
Requires the department of labor create and maintain a list of available careers and job openings for veterans in the state of New York and provide such list to the department of veterans' services; requires such list to be placed on the department of veterans' services website.
Provides that every person who has served in more than one time of war shall be entitled to additional credit as a veteran or disabled veteran in competitive examinations for original appointment or promotion for every such time of war during which such person served, regardless of whether any such person has utilized such credit for a competitive examination for original appointment or a competitive examination for promotion.
