S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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10213
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 14, 2012
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Introduced by M. of A. RAMOS, CASTELLI, NOLAN, CUSICK -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to clarifying eligi-
bility requirements for admission to the New York state veterans' home
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 2632 of the public health law, as
amended by chapter 467 of the laws of 1991, the opening paragraph as
amended by chapter 455 of the laws of 2002, paragraph (d) as amended by
chapter 616 of the laws of 1995 and paragraph (f) as amended by chapter
179 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
1. Every veteran of the armed forces of the United States, who (i) was
separated or discharged under honorable conditions after serving on
active duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days, or (ii)
was separated or discharged under honorable conditions after serving on
active duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days and who
was a recipient of the armed forces expeditionary medal, navy expedi-
tionary medal or marine corps expeditionary medal for participation in
operations in Lebanon from June first, nineteen hundred eighty-three to
December first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven, in Grenada from October
twenty-third, nineteen hundred eighty-three to November twenty-first,
nineteen hundred eighty-three, or in Panama from December twentieth,
nineteen hundred eighty-nine to January thirty-first, nineteen hundred
ninety, OR IN BOSNIA AND HERZGEGOVINA FROM NOVEMBER TWENTY-FIRST, NINE-
TEEN HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE TO NOVEMBER FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVEN, OR WAS A
RECIPIENT OF THE KOSOVO CAMPAIGN MEDAL or (iii) was separated or
discharged under honorable conditions after serving on active duty ther-
ein for a period of not less than thirty days and who served during the
period of actual hostilities of either
(a) the Spanish-American war; or
(b) the incidental insurrection in the Philippines prior to July
fourth, nineteen hundred two; or
(c) world war I between April sixth, nineteen hundred seventeen and
November eleventh, nineteen hundred eighteen, both inclusive; or
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15744-02-2
A. 10213 2
(d) world war II between December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one
and December thirty-first, nineteen hundred forty-six, both inclusive,
or who was employed by the War Shipping Administration or Office of
Defense Transportation or their agents as a merchant seaman documented
by the United States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a
civil servant employed by the United States Army Transport Service
(later redesignated as the United States Army Transportation Corps,
Water Division) or the Naval Transportation Service; and who served
satisfactorily as a crew member during the period of armed conflict,
December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nine-
teen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e.,
foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such terms are defined
under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further to include "near
foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada, Mexico, or the
West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in oceangoing service or
foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of Release or
Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an Honorable
Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of Defense,
or who served as a United States civilian employed by the American Field
Service and served overseas under United States Armies and United States
Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed conflict, Decem-
ber seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen
hundred forty-five, and who was discharged or released therefrom under
honorable conditions, or who served as a United States civilian Flight
Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World Airways
or one of its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas as a
result of Pan American's contract with Air Transport Command or Naval
Air Transport Service during the period of armed conflict, December
fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth, nine-
teen hundred forty-five, and who was discharged or released therefrom
under honorable conditions; or
(e) Korean conflict between June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred
fifty and January thirty-first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, both inclu-
sive; or
(f) Viet Nam conflict between February twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred
sixty-one and May seventh, nineteen hundred seventy-five, both inclu-
sive; or
(g) VETERANS WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY AND WERE EXPOSED
TO RADIATION DURING MILITARY SERVICE IN A "RADIATION-RISK ACTIVITY"
DEFINED AS PARTICIPATION IN THE OCCUPATION OF HIROSHIMA OR NAGASAKI,
JAPAN BETWEEN AUGUST SIXTH, NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE THROUGH JULY
FIRST, NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY-SIX; WERE PRISONERS OF WAR IN JAPAN DURING
WORLD WAR II; ONSITE PARTICIPATION IN A TEST INVOLVING THE ATMOSPHERIC
DETONATION OF A NUCLEAR DEVICE, WHETHER OR NOT THE TESTING NATION WAS
THE UNITED STATES; OR
(H) in the Persian Gulf conflict from the second day of August, nine-
teen hundred ninety to the end of such conflict INCLUDING MILITARY
SERVICE IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM OR OPERA-
TION NEW DAWN AND WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM
EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL OR THE IRAQ CAMPAIGN MEDAL OR THE AFGHANISTAN
CAMPAIGN MEDAL; and who was a resident of the state of New York at the
time of entry upon such active duty or who shall have been a resident of
this state for one year next preceding the application for admission
shall be entitled to admission to said home after the approval of the
application by the board of visitors, subject to the provisions of this
article and to the conditions, limitations and penalties prescribed by
A. 10213 3
the regulations of the department. Any such veteran or dependent, who
otherwise fulfills the requirements set forth in this section, may be
admitted directly to the skilled nursing facility or the health related
facility provided such veteran or dependent is certified by a physician
designated or approved by the department to require the type of care
provided by such facilities.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
have become a law.