Veterans

in committee · New York · Senate Jun 2, 2026

S 7708: Establishes a veterans' bill of rights

Establishes a veterans' bill of rights; provides sample language for such bill of rights; requires the department of veterans' services to establish and distribute a veterans' bill of rights and to make such bill of rights available on the department's website.

Topics ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEstablishes veterans' bill of rights requiring department to distribute rights document, ensuring clarity on veteran services access and protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 23, 2026

S 2640: Includes veterans in the definition of military status for purposes of unlawful discrimination

This bill amends New York's law to explicitly include veterans in the legal definition of "military status." It expands the current definition - which already covers active military service - to protect veterans who have completed their service from unlawful discrimination. The key change adds the phrase "a person's participation in the military service... if such person has been released from such service" to the existing definition. This means veterans will now be covered under the same anti-discrimination protections that apply to active-duty military personnel. The change applies to all areas governed by this law, including employment and housing.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly expands anti-discrimination protections to cover veterans in employment, strengthening workers' rights under Labor & Employment by adding veterans to protected classes.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly expands anti-discrimination protections to cover veterans by amending military status definition, strengthening legal safeguards for veterans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Employment Veteran Housing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 4965: Waives the state application fee for all civil service examinations for all veterans

This bill (S 4965) requires the New York State civil service department to waive all application fees for veterans taking civil service examinations for government jobs. It directly affects all veterans applying for state or municipal civil service positions, including those who served in the U.S. armed forces, National Guard, or New York Guard. The key provision mandates that the state must eliminate these fees for veterans, as defined by law (including honorably discharged service members and certain LGBT veterans), regardless of their current employment status. This policy change removes a financial barrier for veterans seeking government employment through civil service exams.

Topics ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill waives civil service application fees for veterans, directly supporting employment access and reducing financial barriers for state job applications.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Employment

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1298: Expands the veterans tuition awards program

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands tuition access for veterans at state universities, directly supporting higher education affordability and access through funding.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill expands veterans' tuition benefits to include all honorably discharged residents, providing full in-state tuition coverage for education, directly advancing veteran educational support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Employment

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in committee · New York · Assembly Apr 28, 2026

A 8365: Relates to eligibility for admission to New York state veterans' homes

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.

Topics ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands veterans' home eligibility to include those with qualifying NY-resident family members, increasing access to state veteran services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Military Families Veteran Housing

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passed · New York · Senate Mar 18, 2026

S 2289: Expands the veterans' preference to include veterans who did not serve during a time of war for certain housing

Bill S 2289 expands the eligibility for veterans' preference in Mitchell-Lama housing projects. Currently, this preference is available to veterans who served during a time of war. This bill removes that wartime service requirement, making the housing preference available to all veterans and their surviving spouses as defined by the civil service law. This change applies to projects with open waiting lists and will be implemented when closed lists reopen. The bill also maintains that current residents have first priority for internal transfers within their existing projects.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExpands veterans' housing preference to all veterans, increasing access to affordable Mitchell-Lama housing projects.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands veterans' housing preference to all veterans (not just wartime), increasing access to affordable housing benefits as defined in civil service law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Housing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 212: Establishes the veterans' memorials preservation act

S 212, the Veterans' Memorials Preservation Act, requires public entities (such as cities, towns, schools, and state agencies) to preserve existing veterans memorials - like monuments, plaques, or parks dedicated to military service. The bill prohibits altering, destroying, or restricting access to these memorials without reasonable necessity, and mandates that entities maintain them in good condition. It directly affects all government bodies that own or manage such memorials, ensuring they remain publicly accessible and unchanged unless safety or preservation needs require exceptions. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill preserves veterans memorials, ensuring recognition of military service. Directly protects and maintains memorials dedicated to veterans, aligning with recognition under topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 5124: Requires the department of veterans' services to provide certain assistance to veterans

Requires the department of veterans' services to provide legal and/or technical support to veterans who want to change their discharged status to honorable because such person was dishonorably or administratively discharged from the armed services due to sexual orientation.

Topics ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill provides legal support for veterans to correct discharge status, enabling access to benefits denied due to past discrimination based on sexual orientation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 16, 2026

S 910: Establishes a returning veterans tax credit for businesses that hire veterans and disabled veterans

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes tax credit for businesses hiring veterans, reducing tax liability and incentivizing employment, aligning with tax relief indicators.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransProvides tax credits to businesses hiring veterans/disabled veterans, directly supporting veteran employment and workforce integration.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Tax Credits Tax Incentives Veteran Education Veteran Employment Veteran Housing

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in committee · New York · Assembly Dec 8, 2025

A 55: Includes veterans in the definition of military status for purposes of unlawful discrimination

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.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly expands anti-discrimination protections to veterans in housing, preventing housing discrimination per the summary's direct mention of housing coverage.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands anti-discrimination protections for veterans in employment by including them in 'military status' definition, strengthening worker rights under New York law.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands anti-discrimination protections for veterans in employment/housing by including them in military status definition95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Education Veteran Employment Veteran Housing

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