S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5869
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 24, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. SLATER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' Affairs
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the military law, in relation to the issuance of a New
   York State Cold War Commemorative Medal
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1. Section 247 of the military law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 1-g to read as follows:
   1-G. THE GOVERNOR IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO PRESENT IN THE NAME  OF  THE
 LEGISLATURE  OF  THE STATE OF NEW YORK, A MEDAL, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "NEW
 YORK  STATE  COLD  WAR  COMMEMORATIVE   MEDAL",   BEARING   A   SUITABLE
 INSCRIPTION,  TO  ANY  PERSON: (I) WHO IS A RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF NEW
 YORK; OR WHO WAS A RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK  WHILE  SERVING  IN
 THE  ARMED  FORCES  OF  THE UNITED STATES; (II) WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED
 STATES ARMED FORCES, DEFINED AS ARMY, AIR FORCE, NAVY, MARINE CORPS,  OR
 COAST  GUARD,  ON  ACTIVE  DUTY, NATIONAL GUARD, OR RESERVES AT ANY TIME
 DURING THE PERIOD  FROM  MARCH  TWELFTH,  NINETEEN  FORTY-SEVEN  THROUGH
 DECEMBER TWENTY-SIXTH, NINETEEN NINETY-ONE; AND (III) WHO WAS DISCHARGED
 UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS OR WHO HAS A QUALIFYING CONDITION, AS DEFINED
 IN  SECTION  ONE OF THE VETERANS' SERVICES LAW, AND RECEIVED A DISCHARGE
 OTHER THAN BAD CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE,  OR  IS  A  DISCHARGED
 LGBT  VETERAN,  AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE VETERANS' SERVICES LAW,
 AND  RECEIVED  A  DISCHARGE  OTHER  THAN  BAD  CONDUCT  OR  DISHONORABLE
 DISCHARGE. NO PERSON SHALL RECEIVE MORE THAN ONE NEW YORK STATE COLD WAR
 COMMEMORATIVE  MEDAL.   IN THE EVENT OF THE DEATH OF ANY ELIGIBLE PERSON
 PRIOR TO THE RECEIPT OF SUCH  COMMEMORATIVE  MEDAL,  SUCH  COMMEMORATIVE
 MEDAL  SHALL  BE  PRESENTED  TO  THE  DESIGNATED  REPRESENTATIVE  OF THE
 DECEASED. THE ADJUTANT GENERAL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF
 THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES, SHALL MAKE SUCH  RULES  AND  REGU-
 LATIONS  AS  MAY  BE  DEEMED  NECESSARY  FOR THE PROPER PRESENTATION AND
 DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH MEDALS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07432-01-5
              

 A. 5869                             2
 
   § 2. Subdivision 4 of section 247 of the military law,  as  separately
 amended  by chapters 609 and 610 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read
 as follows:
   4.  This section shall not be construed to require that a recipient of
 the conspicuous service cross, the conspicuous service  star,  the  Cold
 War Certificate, the New York State Silver Rose Veterans Service Certif-
 icate,  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE COLD WAR COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL, the New York
 State Iraq War Commemorative Medal, the New York State  Afghanistan  War
 Commemorative  Medal  or  the  New  York State Vietnam War Commemorative
 Medal or the New York State Korean War Commemorative Medal  has  been  a
 resident  of  the  state  of  New York at the time of [his or her] THEIR
 entry into the United States army, air force, navy, or marine corps.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next  succeeding
 the  date on which it shall have become a law.  The division of military
 and naval affairs is authorized to promulgate  any  and  all  rules  and
 regulations  and  take  any  other  measures  necessary to implement the
 provisions of this act on its effective date on or before such date.