This bill (A 9571) increases family leave benefits under New York's workers' compensation law, directly affecting eligible employees taking leave for medical care, bonding with a newborn, or military family exigencies. It gradually raises weekly benefit percentages (from 50% to 67% of average weekly wage) and extends maximum leave duration (from 8 to 12 weeks) over time, with specific phased-in dates starting in 2018. Covered employers must provide these enhanced benefits while maintaining health insurance coverage during leave. The changes apply to employees meeting eligibility criteria under the law, with the Superintendent of Financial Services retaining limited authority to delay increases.
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.
Directs the veterans service commission to submit a report regarding coordinated services for veterans with service-connected disabilities to the commissioner of veterans' services by April 1, 2029.
Establishes a research grant program to fund clinical trials of ibogaine for the treatment of veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder; creates a fund to provide monies for the research grant program.
This bill (A 9658) waives renewal fees for vehicle operator licenses for eligible veterans. It directly affects veterans who served in active U.S. military or naval service during a war, were honorably discharged, or were furloughed to the reserve. The bill adds a new rule to vehicle and traffic law requiring license renewal fees to be waived for these veterans. It takes immediate effect and applies to all gender identities.
This bill expands New York's veterans tuition awards program by allowing qualified veterans to transfer unused benefits to eligible family members, including spouses, children, or financially dependent survivors. It defines "eligible immediate family member" and sets key rules: transfers are one-time only, children receiving benefits must be under 26, and annual transfers are capped at 100. Veterans must formally designate beneficiaries through a prescribed process, and transfers cannot exceed the original award amount. The changes take effect in 2027, building on prior legislative proposals to enhance support for veterans' families.
This bill designates a specific 1.5-mile segment of State Route 18 (Parma Center Road) in Parma, Monroe County, between intersections with State Routes 8/261 and 259 as "Highway Dedicated to The Lemcke Brothers Military Service." It requires the state transportation commissioner to install and maintain ceremonial signage stating this dedication, but explicitly states the official highway name remains unchanged. The bill is purely ceremonial with no impact on road maintenance, traffic laws, or official route designations. It directly honors the Lemcke Brothers Military Service through a symbolic highway naming, without altering the road's functional identity.
This bill creates a new property tax exemption for veterans who are 100% disabled due to military service. It directly affects veterans with an honorable discharge, a VA-rated 100% service-connected disability, and who either receive VA benefits or use those benefits for housing modifications. The exemption applies to their primary residence, removing property taxes and related charges, while ensuring the exemption doesn't reduce tax assessments below zero. It does not replace existing veteran tax exemptions but adds this new benefit.
This bill requires New York State to make burial records for former patients interred at state mental health hospital cemeteries available to the public within 30 days of a patient's death. It specifies that records must include name, birth/death dates, burial location, military service details, and family relationships, with no fees charged for access. The bill mandates permanent retention of all burial records and cemetery maps, and requires signs with contact information at each cemetery site. It directly affects families seeking to identify or memorialize deceased relatives buried in these historic facilities, such as Willard Asylum or Kings Park Psychiatric Center. The law also clarifies that burial records are separate from clinical medical records.
This bill (S 8664) changes the fee for Gold Star Family license plates to match the existing fee for Gold Star Mothers plates, eliminating any additional service charge. It directly affects military families who have lost a service member, allowing them to obtain distinctive license plates at the same cost as Gold Star Mothers plates. The key provision amends vehicle law to require identical fee rates for these two plate types, ensuring consistency without extra charges.
