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.
Creates a veteran's home and land ownership loan program to provide loans to veterans to purchase homes or unimproved land suitable for building; requires such loans to be secured by a second mortgage.
Relates to providing veterans' housing; requires state agencies that provide shelter to homeless veterans to do so based on federal housing first principles without preconditions or barriers.
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.
Relates to certain veterans; entitles them to 10 additional competitive civil service exam points if they are disabled; entitles them to 5 additional competitive civil service exam points if they are non-disabled and if they received certain medals or ribbons.
This bill creates a program allowing veterans who served honorably in the U.S. military but couldn't complete high school to earn a diploma based on their service experience. It removes outdated requirements (like limiting eligibility to World War II veterans) and directs the education commissioner to develop the program. The law takes effect immediately, enabling eligible veterans to receive diplomas without needing to complete traditional coursework. This directly affects veterans who left school early for military service, offering a formal recognition of their skills gained during service.
