This bill expands New York's veterans tuition awards program to allow qualified veterans to transfer unused benefits to their spouse, child, or eligible survivor. It defines key terms like "qualified veteran" (a veteran who would qualify for the award) and "eligible immediate family" (spouse, child, or survivor meeting specific marriage or family conditions). Veterans can transfer all or part of their unused award to family members, with children needing to be under 26 and the veteran having served at least 10 years (with exceptions for certain separations or deaths). The bill also limits transfers to 100 per year and takes effect July 1, 2026.
Establishes a credit for military spouses and surviving spouses of veterans for competitive examinations whether for original appointment or promotion.
Provides a right of reemployment for persons who reside in another state who are ordered to military service within New York state, if the state of residence provides a like protection.
This bill establishes a new "military immigrant family legacy program" for immigrant families with U.S. military connections, requiring state agencies to ask individuals seeking assistance about military service history. It mandates that agencies protect this information and refer eligible individuals to veterans' services for immigration and benefit assistance. Additionally, the bill requires state agencies to create guidance for handling requests from federal immigration authorities seeking access to people or records at state-run facilities. The policy directly affects immigrant families with military ties and state agencies operating public programs, while ensuring privacy for military status information shared during assistance requests.
This bill establishes a maternity care coordinator role to improve coordination of healthcare for pregnant and postpartum veterans. The coordinator will work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, state health agencies, hospitals, and providers to connect veterans with maternity care services, share information about mental and physical health conditions affecting pregnancy, and promote the Veterans Community Care Program. It amends existing law to require this coordination, including disseminating resources to healthcare providers about veteran-specific care needs and referral systems for veterans with service-connected disabilities. The bill directly affects veterans receiving maternity care and the healthcare providers who serve them.
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.
The NY Cares Act provides New York resident service members with academic credit for military training and experience without tuition fees, plus transition "bridge courses" to help them adjust to college life. It also establishes tuition awards covering full undergraduate costs for spouses and children of service members who died while serving, limited to 8 semesters of full-time study or equivalent. Both programs require state education officials to coordinate with veterans' services, ensuring military experience is recognized in higher education pathways.
Relates to additional credit allowed veterans in competitive examinations; expands the definition of "veteran" and "non-disabled veteran" to include the spouse and/or children of a member of the armed forces of the United States who served therein in time of war and was subsequently killed in the line of duty.
Expands eligibility for admission to New York state veterans' homes to certain veterans who have an immediate family member who shall have been a resident of this state for six months prior to the date of application for admission; defines an immediate family member to include a spouse, or a birth or adoptive parent, child, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, stepsibling, grandparent and grandchild; requires, where applicable, the immediate family member of a veteran applicant to file an affidavit of New York state residence; authorizes veterans with an immediate family member who has been a New York state resident for six months to be entitle to admission to the Long Island state veterans home at Stony Brook university.
Expands eligibility for admission to New York state veterans' homes to certain veterans who have an immediate family member who shall have been a resident of this state for six months prior to the date of application for admission; defines an immediate family member to include a spouse, or a birth or adoptive parent, child, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, stepsibling, grandparent and grandchild; requires, where applicable, the immediate family member of a veteran applicant to file an affidavit of New York state residence; authorizes veterans with an immediate family member who has been a New York state resident for six months to be entitled to admission to the Long Island state veterans home at Stony Brook university.
