S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8967
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              August 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. SLATER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' Affairs
 
 AN  ACT to amend the veterans' services law, the banking law, the canna-
   bis law, the county law, the economic development law, the  correction
   law,  the civil service law, the domestic relations law, the education
   law, the election law, the environmental conservation law, the  execu-
   tive  law, the general business law, the general construction law, the
   general municipal law, the highway law, the insurance law, the judici-
   ary law, the labor law, the mental hygiene law, the military law,  the
   not-for-profit  corporation  law,  the parks, recreation, and historic
   preservation law, the public housing law, the public health  law,  the
   public officers law, the private housing finance law, the real proper-
   ty  tax law, the social services law, the state finance law, the state
   technology law, the tax law, the town law,  the  vehicle  and  traffic
   law,  the  workers' compensation law, chapter 784 of the laws of 1951,
   constituting the New York state defense emergency act, chapter 174  of
   the  laws  of  1968, constituting the New York state urban development
   corporation act, the administrative code of the city of New York,  and
   the  New  York  city  charter,  in  relation to renaming the veterans'
   services law the veterans and  military  families  law,  renaming  the
   department  of veterans' services the department of veterans and mili-
   tary families, and requiring the department of veterans  and  military
   families to provide certain services to military families
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The chapter heading of chapter 13 of the consolidated  laws
 is amended to read as follows:
             [VETERANS' SERVICES] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
   § 2. The article heading of article 1 of the veterans' services law is
 amended to read as follows:
      DEPARTMENT OF [VETERANS' SERVICES] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10758-01-5
              

 A. 8967                             2
 
   §  3.  Subdivision  1  of  section  1 of the veterans' services law is
 amended to read as follows:
   1.  The term "department" means the department of [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES.
   § 4. Section 2 of the veterans' services law is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   §   2.  Department  of  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY
 FAMILIES.  There is hereby created a department of [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES.   The head of such department shall be
 the New York state commissioner of  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND
 MILITARY  FAMILIES  who shall be a veteran. [He or she] THE COMMISSIONER
 shall be appointed by the governor and shall hold office [during his  or
 her]  AT  THE GOVERNOR'S pleasure. Such state commissioner shall receive
 an annual salary to be fixed  by  the  governor  within  the  limitation
 provided  by law. [He or she] THE COMMISSIONER shall also be entitled to
 receive [his or her] expenses actually and necessarily incurred by  [him
 or  her] THEM in the performance of [his or her] THEIR duties. The state
 commissioner, with the approval of  the  governor,  may  establish  such
 bureaus within the department as are necessary and appropriate to carry-
 ing  out  its functions and may consolidate or abolish such bureaus. The
 [state] commissioner may appoint such officers, consultants, clerks  and
 other  employees  and agents as [he or she] THEY may deem necessary, fix
 their compensation within the limitation provided by law, and  prescribe
 their duties.
   §  5.  Subdivision  10  of  section 4 of the veterans' services law is
 amended and four new subdivisions 40, 41, 42, and 43 are added  to  read
 as follows:
   10. To prepare and submit a report, in consultation with the office of
 temporary  and disability assistance, department of labor, and office of
 children and family services to determine the number of homeless persons
 in New York state that are veterans. Such report shall include, but  not
 be  limited to, the following information to the extent it is reasonably
 accessible to the department: (a) an analysis of veterans  in  New  York
 state  who  are  currently  homeless,  or have been homeless within five
 years of being released from active duty including an analysis of gender
 as it relates to homelessness of veterans; (b) data  on  the  number  of
 children  of  homeless veterans, including the current placement of such
 children; (c) cases of military sexual trauma  experienced  by  homeless
 veterans  while  on active duty or during military training, including a
 breakdown of the collected data based upon the gender of the victim; and
 (d) the unemployment rate for New York state veterans. The  term  "chil-
 dren  of homeless veterans" shall mean a person who is unmarried and who
 is under the age of eighteen years, and is  the  biological  or  legally
 adopted  child of a veteran. The report shall be delivered to the gover-
 nor, the speaker of the assembly and  the  temporary  president  of  the
 senate  by  June  thirtieth,  two  thousand twenty and every three years
 thereafter. Such report shall be publicly available and  posted  on  the
 [department of veterans' services] DEPARTMENT'S website.
   40.  TO  SERVE  AS  LIAISON BETWEEN THE FAMILIES OF UNIFORMED SERVICES
 PERSONNEL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
   41. TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO UNIFORMED SERVICES  FAMILIES  ON  FAMILY
 ASSISTANCE  PROGRAMS  THAT  ARE  AVAILABLE  FROM  THE  STATE AND FEDERAL
 GOVERNMENT.
   42. TO ENSURE  THAT  THE  FAMILIES  OF  UNIFORMED  SERVICES  PERSONNEL
 RECEIVE APPROPRIATE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE.
 A. 8967                             3
 
   43.  TO  COORDINATE  WITH  FAMILY  LIAISON  OFFICERS  DESIGNATED UNDER
 SECTION NINETEEN-A OF THE MILITARY LAW  TO  PROVIDE  ASSISTANCE  TO  THE
 FAMILIES  OF  THOSE  UNIFORMED SERVICES PERSONNEL WHO HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED
 FOR ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.
   §  6.  Section  7 of the veterans' services law, as amended by chapter
 449 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   § 7. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance.   Depart-
 ments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies of the state
 and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assistance, treatment,
 counseling,  care,  supervision  or  custody  in service areas involving
 health, mental health, family services, criminal justice or  employment,
 including  but  not  limited  to  the  office  of addiction services and
 supports, office of mental health, office of probation and  correctional
 alternatives,  office  of children and family services, office of tempo-
 rary and disability assistance,  department  of  health,  department  of
 labor,  local workforce investment boards, office for people with devel-
 opmental disabilities,  and  department  of  corrections  and  community
 supervision,  shall request assisted persons to provide information with
 regard to their veteran status  and  military  experiences.  Individuals
 identifying themselves as veterans, including individuals requesting and
 obtaining  a  veteran  notation on such individual's driver's license or
 non-driver identification card pursuant to sections four hundred  ninety
 and  five  hundred  two of the vehicle and traffic law, shall be advised
 that the department [of veterans' services] and local veterans'  service
 agencies  established  pursuant  to  section  fourteen  of  this article
 provide assistance to veterans  regarding  benefits  under  federal  and
 state  law.  Information  regarding veterans status and military service
 provided by assisted persons solely to implement this section  shall  be
 protected  as  personal  confidential information under article six-A of
 the public officers law against disclosure of confidential material, and
 used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling
 of the veteran's problems within the agency requesting such  information
 and  in  referring the veteran to the department [of veterans' services]
 for information and assistance with regard to benefits and  entitlements
 under federal and state law.
   §  7.  Subdivision  2  of  section 11 of the veterans' services law is
 amended to read as follows:
   2. Individuals identifying themselves as having served in the military
 or a family member shall be advised that the  department  [of  veterans'
 services]  and  local  veterans service agencies established pursuant to
 section seventeen of this article provide assistance to veterans regard-
 ing benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding veterans
 and military status provided by assisted  persons  solely  to  implement
 this  section  shall be protected as personal confidential material, and
 used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling
 of the veteran's or family member's problems within the agency  request-
 ing  such  information  and in referring the veteran or family member to
 the department [of veterans' services] for the information  and  assist-
 ance  with  regard  to benefits and entitlements under federal and state
 law.
   § 8. Subdivision 1 of section 19 of  the  veterans'  services  law  is
 amended to read as follows:
   1.  [Definitions. (a) "Veteran" shall have the same meaning as defined
 in section one of this article.
   (b)  "Department"  shall  mean  the  state  department  of   veterans'
 services.
 A. 8967                             4

   (c) "Women veterans coordinator"] THE WOMEN VETERANS COORDINATOR shall
 be a veteran.
   §  9.  The  opening  paragraph  of  paragraph (a) of subdivision 9 and
 subdivision 10 of section 20 of the veterans' services law is amended to
 read as follows:
   support and assist the department  [of  veterans'  services]  and  the
 women  veterans coordinator pursuant to section nineteen of this article
 in:
   10. The department [of veterans'  services]  shall  help  support  the
 committee's activities.
   §  10.  Paragraph  a  of  subdivision 1 of section 21 of the veterans'
 services law is amended to read as follows:
   a. Any veteran as defined in this article who has been or is hereafter
 classified by the New York State commission for the visually handicapped
 as a blind person as defined in section three of  chapter  four  hundred
 fifteen  of  the  laws  of  nineteen  hundred  thirteen, as amended, and
 continues to be a blind person  within  the  meaning  of  that  section,
 shall, upon application to the commissioner [of the department of veter-
 ans'  services],  be paid out of the treasury of the state for such term
 as such veteran shall be entitled thereto under the provisions  of  this
 article,  the  sum of one thousand dollars annually, plus any applicable
 annual adjustment, as provided in this section.
   § 11. The third undesignated paragraph and subparagraph (i)  of  para-
 graph  paragraph  (a-2)  of subdivision 2 of section 24 of the veterans'
 services law are amended to read as follows:
   The legislature additionally finds and determines that it is therefore
 necessary to provide for the construction and establishment  of  one  or
 more  New  York  state  veterans'  cemeteries,  and  that to thereafter,
 provide for the expansion, improvement, support, operation,  maintenance
 and   the  provision  of  perpetual  care  of  all  such  cemeteries  so
 constructed and established. The legislature also finds  and  determines
 that  it is appropriate to have the responsibility for the construction,
 establishment, expansion, improvement, support,  operation,  maintenance
 and  the  provision  of  perpetual care for veterans' cemeteries in this
 state, to be under the oversight and direction of the  state  department
 of  [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, and its commis-
 sioner, individually, and as chair of the  management  board,  for  each
 such veterans' cemetery so constructed and established.
   (i)  The  commissioner  [of  the department of veterans' services], or
 [his or her] THEIR representative;
   § 12. Subdivision 1 of section 29 of the  veterans'  services  law  is
 amended to read as follows:
   1.  The  department,  in  cooperation with the office of temporary and
 disability assistance and any other state department,  office,  division
 or  agency the department deems necessary, shall require that all intake
 forms for admission or residency to any temporary shelter that is  reim-
 bursed  from  state  or  state-administered grants or funds shall ask an
 applicant: "Have you or anyone in your household ever been in the United
 States military?". Each social  services  district  or  social  services
 district's designee shall in writing advise all individuals applying for
 temporary  housing  assistance and identifying themselves as having been
 in  the  United  States  military  that  the  department  [of  veterans'
 services]  and  local veterans' service agencies established pursuant to
 section fourteen of this article provide assistance to veterans  regard-
 ing  benefits available under federal and state law. Such written infor-
 mation shall include the name, address and telephone number of the  [New
 A. 8967                             5

 York  state]  department [of veterans' services], the nearest department
 [of veterans' services] office, the nearest  county  or  city  veterans'
 service  agency  and  the  nearest accredited veterans' service officer.
 Each  social  services  district or social services district's designee,
 with the permission of  such  individual's  identifying  themself  as  a
 veteran, shall transmit such veteran's status information to the depart-
 ment [of veterans' services].
   §  13.  Subdivision  3  of section 34 of the veterans' services law is
 amended to read as follows:
   3. establish and maintain, together  with  the  commissioner  [of  the
 department  of  veterans'  services],  a  program  to educate separating
 service members as to the benefits  available  to  veterans  under  this
 article.
   §  14.  Paragraph  (c) of subdivision 4 of section 41 of the veterans'
 services law is amended to read as follows:
   (c) Evaluate and assess availability  of  firms  for  the  purpose  of
 increasing participation of such firms in state contracting in consulta-
 tion  with  relevant  state  entities including, but not limited to, the
 [New York state] department [of veterans' services].
   § 15. Section 6-p of the banking law, as added by chapter 102  of  the
 laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   §  6-p.  Loan  counseling for mortgages guaranteed by the Servicemen's
 Readjustment Act of 1944. Every mortgage lending institution  and  mort-
 gage  banker  which  originates  loans secured by real property used for
 residential purposes located in this state which are  to  be  guaranteed
 under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 shall provide a separate
 disclosure  form  with each application stating that a veteran seeking a
 housing loan under chapter 37 of title 38 of the United States Code  has
 been  offered  loan  counseling  services. Such loan counseling services
 shall be provided by the department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY  FAMILIES  under  section  twenty-nine-a  of   the   [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law upon request of an appli-
 cant. The disclosure form required by this section shall  be  signed  by
 each  applicant  and  shall  include information detailing how to access
 such counseling services.
   § 16. Paragraph (f) of subdivision 5 of section  87  of  the  cannabis
 law,  as  amended  by section 29 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (f) "Service-disabled veterans" shall  mean  persons  qualified  under
 article three of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law.
   §  17. Section 831 of the county law, as amended by section 32 of part
 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   § 831. Soldier burial plots in Dutchess county. The legislature of the
 county of Dutchess may  authorize  the  purchase  of  burial  plots  and
 provide  for  marker settings and perpetual care and maintenance of such
 plots in one or more of the cemeteries of the  county  of  Dutchess  for
 deceased  veterans,  who,  at  the  time of death, were residents of the
 county of Dutchess and who (i) were discharged from the armed forces  of
 the  United States either honorably or under honorable circumstances, or
 (ii) had a qualifying condition,  as  defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received a
 discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable,  or  (iii)  were  a
 discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as  defined in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received  a  discharge
 A. 8967                             6
 
 other  than  bad conduct or dishonorable. The expense thereof shall be a
 county charge.
   § 18. Subdivision 6 of section 210 of the economic development law, as
 amended  by  section 33 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   6. "Veteran" shall mean a person who served in the United States army,
 navy, air force, marines, coast guard, and/or reserves  thereof,  and/or
 in  the  army  national guard, air national guard, New York guard and/or
 New York naval militia and who (a) has received an honorable or  general
 discharge  from  such  service,  or  (b)  has a qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable  from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable from such service.
   §  19.  Paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 42 of the correction
 law, as amended by section 34 of part PP of chapter 56 of  the  laws  of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  There  shall  be  within  the  commission  a  citizen's policy and
 complaint review council.  It  shall  consist  of  nine  persons  to  be
 appointed  by  the  governor,  by and with the advice and consent of the
 senate. One person so appointed shall have served in the armed forces of
 the United States in any foreign war, conflict or  military  occupation,
 who  (i)  was  discharged therefrom under other than dishonorable condi-
 tions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one  of
 the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or  (iii)  is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, or shall be a duly licensed mental health professional who
 has professional experience or training with  regard  to  post-traumatic
 stress  syndrome.  One person so appointed shall be an attorney admitted
 to practice in this state. One person so appointed  shall  be  a  former
 incarcerated  individual  of  a  correctional  facility.  One  person so
 appointed shall be a former correction officer.  One person so appointed
 shall be a former resident of a division for youth secure  center  or  a
 health  care  professional  duly licensed to practice in this state. One
 person so appointed shall be a former employee of the office of children
 and family services who has directly supervised youth in a secure  resi-
 dential center operated by such office.  In addition, the governor shall
 designate  one  of  the  full-time  members  other than the chair of the
 commission as chair of the council to serve as such at the  pleasure  of
 the governor.
   §  20.  Paragraph  (b)  of  subdivision  5  of section 50 of the civil
 service law, as amended by section 1 of part EE of  chapter  55  of  the
 laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   (b)  Notwithstanding  the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subdivi-
 sion, the state civil service department, subject to the approval of the
 director of the budget, a municipal commission, subject to the  approval
 of  the  governing  board or body of the city or county, as the case may
 be, or a regional commission or personnel officer, pursuant  to  govern-
 mental  agreement,  may  elect  to waive application fees, or to abolish
 fees for specific classes of  positions  or  types  of  examinations  or
 candidates,  or  to  establish  a  uniform  schedule  of reasonable fees
 A. 8967                             7
 
 different from those prescribed in paragraph (a)  of  this  subdivision,
 specifying  in  such schedule the classes of positions or types of exam-
 inations or candidates to which such fees shall apply; provided,  howev-
 er,  that  fees  shall be waived for candidates who certify to the state
 civil service department, a municipal commission or a  regional  commis-
 sion  that they are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support
 of a household, or are receiving public  assistance.  Provided  further,
 the state civil service department shall waive the state application fee
 for  examinations  for  original  appointment for all veterans. Provided
 further, the state civil  service  department  shall,  and  a  municipal
 commission  may,  subject to the approval of the governing board or body
 of the city or county, as the case may be, or a regional  commission  or
 personnel officer, pursuant to governmental agreement, waive application
 fees  for all examinations held between July first, two thousand twenty-
 three and December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-five. Notwithstand-
 ing any other provision of law, for purposes of this section,  the  term
 "veteran"  shall mean a person who has served in the armed forces of the
 United States or the reserves thereof, or in the  army  national  guard,
 air  national  guard, New York guard, or the New York naval militia, and
 who (1) has been honorably discharged  or  released  from  such  service
 under  honorable  conditions,  or  (2)  has  a  qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable  from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable  from  such service. The term "armed forces" shall mean the
 army, navy, air force, marine corps, and coast guard.
   § 20-a. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of  section  50  of  the  civil
 service  law,  as  amended by section 35 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of  this  subdivi-
 sion, the state civil service department, subject to the approval of the
 director  of the budget, a municipal commission, subject to the approval
 of the governing board or body of the city or county, as  the  case  may
 be,  or  a regional commission or personnel officer, pursuant to govern-
 mental agreement, may elect to waive application  fees,  or  to  abolish
 fees  for  specific  classes  of  positions  or types of examinations or
 candidates, or to  establish  a  uniform  schedule  of  reasonable  fees
 different  from  those  prescribed in paragraph (a) of this subdivision,
 specifying in such schedule the classes of positions or types  of  exam-
 inations  or candidates to which such fees shall apply; provided, howev-
 er, that fees shall be waived for candidates who certify  to  the  state
 civil  service  department, a municipal commission or a regional commis-
 sion that they are unemployed and primarily responsible for the  support
 of  a  household,  or are receiving public assistance. Provided further,
 the state civil service department shall waive the state application fee
 for examinations for original appointment  for  all  veterans.  Notwith-
 standing  any  other provision of law, for purposes of this section, the
 term "veteran" shall mean a person who has served in the armed forces of
 the United States or the reserves  thereof,  or  in  the  army  national
 guard,  air  national guard, New York guard, or the New York naval mili-
 tia, and who (1) has been honorably discharged  or  released  from  such
 service  under  honorable conditions, or (2) has a qualifying condition,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than  bad  conduct
 A. 8967                             8

 or  dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than  bad  conduct
 or  dishonorable  from  such service. The term "armed forces" shall mean
 the army, navy, air force, marine corps, and coast guard.
   § 21. Paragraph (b) of subdivision  1  of  section  75  of  the  civil
 service  law,  as  amended by section 36 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (b) a person holding a position by permanent appointment or employment
 in the classified service of the state or in the several  cities,  coun-
 ties,  towns,  or  villages  thereof, or in any other political or civil
 division of the state or of a municipality,  or  in  the  public  school
 service,  or in any public or special district, or in the service of any
 authority, commission or  board,  or  in  any  other  branch  of  public
 service,  who  was  honorably  discharged  or  released  under honorable
 circumstances from the armed forces of the United States  including  (i)
 having  a  qualifying condition as defined in section one of the [veter-
 ans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  receiving  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (ii) being a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one  of  the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and receiving a
 discharge  other  than  bad  conduct  or dishonorable from such service,
 having served therein as such member  in  time  of  war  as  defined  in
 section eighty-five of this chapter, or who is an exempt volunteer fire-
 fighter  as  defined  in the general municipal law, except when a person
 described in this paragraph holds the  position  of  private  secretary,
 cashier or deputy of any official or department, or
   §  22.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision  1  of section 85 of the civil
 service law, as separately amended by section 37 of part PP  of  chapter
 56 and chapter 669 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  The  terms  "veteran" and "non-disabled veteran" mean a member of
 the armed forces of the United States who was  honorably  discharged  or
 released  under  honorable circumstances from such service including (i)
 having a qualifying condition as defined in section one of  the  [veter-
 ans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law, and receiving a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service,  or
 (ii)  being  a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and receiving a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service,  who
 is  a citizen of the United States or a noncitizen lawfully admitted for
 permanent residence in the United States and who is a  resident  of  the
 state  of  New  York  at  the  time  of  application  for appointment or
 promotion or at the time of retention, as the case may be.
   § 23. Section 86 of the civil service law, as amended by section 38 of
 part PP of chapter 56 of the  laws  of  2022,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   § 86. Transfer of veterans or exempt volunteer firefighters upon abol-
 ition  of  positions. If  the  position in the non-competitive or in the
 labor class held by any honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces
 of the United States or by any veteran of the armed forces of the United
 States released under honorable circumstances from such service  includ-
 ing  (i)  having a qualifying condition as defined in section one of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and receiving a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service,  or
 (ii)  being  a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and receiving a
 A. 8967                             9
 
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service,  who
 served  therein in time of war as defined in section eighty-five of this
 chapter, or by an exempt volunteer firefighter as defined in the general
 municipal  law,  shall become unnecessary or be abolished for reasons of
 economy or otherwise, the honorably discharged veteran or exempt  volun-
 teer  firefighter holding such position shall not be discharged from the
 public service but shall be transferred to a similar position wherein  a
 vacancy  exists,  and shall receive the same compensation therein. It is
 hereby made the duty of all persons clothed with the power  of  appoint-
 ment  to  make  such  transfer  effective.  The right to transfer herein
 conferred shall continue for a period of one year following the date  of
 abolition  of  the  position,  and may be exercised only where a vacancy
 exists in an appropriate position to which transfer may be made  at  the
 time  of  demand for transfer. Where the positions of more than one such
 veteran or exempt volunteer  firefighter  are  abolished  and  a  lesser
 number  of vacancies in similar positions exist to which transfer may be
 made, the veterans or exempt volunteer firefighters whose positions  are
 abolished  shall  be entitled to transfer to such vacancies in the order
 of their original appointment in the service.  Nothing in  this  section
 shall  be construed to apply to the position of private secretary, cash-
 ier or deputy of any official or department. This section shall have  no
 application to persons encompassed by section eighty-a of this chapter.
   §  24.  Section  13-b  of  the  domestic  relations law, as separately
 amended by section 39 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of  2022  and
 chapter 68 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   § 13-b. Time within which marriage may be solemnized. A marriage shall
 not  be  solemnized  within  twenty-four hours after the issuance of the
 marriage license, unless authorized by an order of a court of record  as
 hereinafter  provided,  nor shall it be solemnized after sixty days from
 the date of the issuance  of  the  marriage  license  unless  authorized
 pursuant  to  section ten of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES law.  Every license to marry hereafter issued by a town or
 city clerk, in addition to other requirements specified by this chapter,
 must contain a statement of the day and the hour the license  is  issued
 and  the period during which the marriage may be solemnized. It shall be
 the  duty  of  the  [clergyman]  CLERGYPERSON,  magistrate,  or  one-day
 marriage  officiant,  as  designated by a town or city clerk pursuant to
 section eleven-d of this article, performing the marriage  ceremony,  or
 if  the  marriage is solemnized by written contract, of the judge before
 whom the contract is acknowledged, to  annex  to  or  endorse  upon  the
 marriage  license  the date and hour the marriage is solemnized. A judge
 or justice of the supreme court of this state or the county judge of the
 county in which either party to be married resides, or the judge of  the
 family  court  of such county, if it shall appear from an examination of
 the license and any other proofs submitted by the parties  that  one  of
 the  parties is in danger of imminent death, or by reason of other emer-
 gency public interest will be promoted thereby, or that such delay  will
 work  irreparable injury or great hardship upon the contracting parties,
 or one of them, may, make an order authorizing the immediate  solemniza-
 tion  of  the  marriage  and upon filing such order with the [clergyman]
 CLERGYPERSON, magistrate, or one-day marriage officiant  performing  the
 marriage  ceremony,  or  if  the marriage is to be solemnized by written
 contract, with the judge before whom the contract is acknowledged,  such
 [clergyman]  CLERGYPERSON, magistrate or such one-day marriage officiant
 may solemnize such marriage, or such judge may take such  acknowledgment
 as  the case may be, without waiting for such three day period and twen-
 A. 8967                            10
 
 ty-four hour period to elapse. The [clergyman] CLERGYPERSON, magistrate,
 judge, or such one-day marriage officiant, as designated by  a  town  or
 city  clerk pursuant to section eleven-d of this article, must file such
 order  with  the  town  or city clerk who issued the license within five
 days after the marriage is solemnized. Such  town  or  city  clerk  must
 record  and  index  the order in the book required to be kept by [him or
 her] THEM for recording affidavits, statements, consents  and  licenses,
 and  when  so recorded the order shall become a public record and avail-
 able in any prosecution under this section. A person who shall solemnize
 a marriage in violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
 and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars
 for each offense, and in addition thereto, [his or her] THEIR  right  to
 solemnize a marriage shall be suspended for ninety days.
   §  25.  Paragraph  a  of subdivision 3 of section 14-a of the domestic
 relations law, as amended by section 3 of part PP of chapter 56  of  the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  No  fee  shall be charged for any certificate when required by the
 United States department of veterans affairs or  by  the  department  of
 [veterans'  services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES of the state of New
 York to be used in determining the eligibility of any person to  partic-
 ipate  in the benefits made available by the United States department of
 veterans affairs or by the state of New York.
   § 26. Subdivision 1 of section 19 of the domestic  relations  law,  as
 amended  by  section  4 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   1. Each town  and  city  clerk  hereby  empowered  to  issue  marriage
 licenses shall keep a book supplied by the state department of health in
 which  such clerk shall record and index such information as is required
 therein, which book shall be kept and preserved as a part of the  public
 records  of  [his  or her] THEIR office. Whenever an application is made
 for a search of such records the city or town clerk, excepting the  city
 clerk  of  the  city  of  New  York,  may make such search and furnish a
 certificate of the result to the applicant upon the payment of a fee  of
 five  dollars  for  a search of one year and a further fee of one dollar
 for the second year for which such search is requested and  fifty  cents
 for each additional year thereafter, which fees shall be paid in advance
 of  such  search.  Whenever  an application is made for a search of such
 records in the city of New York, the city clerk of the city of New  York
 may  make  such  search  and  furnish a certificate of the result to the
 applicant upon the payment of a fee of five dollars for a search of  one
 year  and  a  further  fee  of  one dollar for the second year for which
 search is requested and fifty cents  each  additional  year  thereafter.
 Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of this article, no fee shall be
 charged for any search or certificate when required by the United States
 department of veterans  affairs  or  by  the  department  of  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES of the state of New York to be
 used in determining the eligibility of any person to participate in  the
 benefits  made  available  by  the  United States department of veterans
 affairs or by the state of New York. All such affidavits, statements and
 consents, immediately upon the taking or receiving of the  same  by  the
 town or city clerk, shall be recorded and indexed as provided herein and
 shall  be public records and open to public inspection whenever the same
 may be necessary or required for judicial or other proper  purposes.  At
 such  times  as  the  commissioner  shall  direct, the said town or city
 clerk, excepting the city clerk of the city of New York, shall  file  in
 the  office of the state department of health the original of each affi-
 A. 8967                            11
 
 davit, statement, consent, order of a justice or judge authorizing imme-
 diate solemnization of marriage, license and certificate, filed with  or
 made  before such clerk during the preceding month. Such clerk shall not
 be  required  to file any of said documents with the state department of
 health until the license is returned with the certificate  showing  that
 the marriage to which they refer has been actually performed.
   The  county  clerks  of  the  counties comprising the city of New York
 shall cause all original applications and  original  licenses  with  the
 marriage  solemnization  statements  thereon heretofore filed with each,
 and all papers and records and binders relating to such  original  docu-
 ments  pertaining  to  marriage  licenses  issued by said city clerk, in
 their custody and possession to be removed, transferred,  and  delivered
 to the borough offices of the city clerk in each of said counties.
   §  27.  Paragraph  c  of subdivision 1 of section 360 of the education
 law, as amended by section 40 of part PP of chapter 56 of  the  laws  of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  Adopt  and  enforce  campus rules and regulations not inconsistent
 with the vehicle and traffic law  relating  to  parking,  vehicular  and
 pedestrian  traffic,  and safety. Such rules and regulations may include
 provisions for the disposition of abandoned vehicles, removal by  towing
 or  otherwise  of  vehicles  parked  in  violation  of such rules at the
 expense of the owner, the payment of fees for the registration or  park-
 ing  of  such  vehicles, provided that such campus rules and regulations
 may provide that any veteran attending the state university as a student
 shall be exempt from any fees for parking or registering a  motor  vehi-
 cle, and the assessment of administrative fines upon the owner or opera-
 tor of such vehicles for each violation of the regulations.  However, no
 such fine may be imposed without a hearing or an opportunity to be heard
 conducted  by  an  officer or board designated by the board of trustees.
 Such fines, in the case of an officer or employee of  state  university,
 may  be  deducted  from  the salary or wages of such officer or employee
 found in violation of such regulations, or in the case of a  student  of
 state  university found in violation of such regulations, the university
 may withhold [his or her] THEIR grades and transcripts until  such  time
 as  any fine is paid. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "veter-
 an" shall mean a member of the armed forces of  the  United  States  who
 served  in  such  armed  forces in time of war and who (i) was honorably
 discharged or released under honorable circumstances from such  service,
 or  (ii)  has  a  qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as  defined  in  section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such service.
   § 28. The opening paragraph of subdivision 6, subdivision 7, paragraph
 c  of subdivision 9, the opening paragraph of paragraph a of subdivision
 10, and the opening paragraph of paragraph  a  of  subdivision  10-a  of
 section 503 of the education law, as amended by section 41 of part PP of
 chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   Credit for service in war after world war I, which shall mean military
 service  during  the  period  commencing the first day of July, nineteen
 hundred forty, and terminating  the  thirtieth  day  of  June,  nineteen
 hundred  forty-seven, or during the period commencing the twenty-seventh
 day of June, nineteen hundred fifty, and  terminating  the  thirty-first
 day  of  January, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during both such peri-
 A. 8967                            12
 
 ods, as a member of the armed forces of the United States, of any person
 who (i) has  been  honorably  discharged  or  released  under  honorable
 circumstances  from such service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged  LGBT  veteran,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES  law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
 or dishonorable from such service, or service by one who was employed by
 the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense  Transportation  or
 their  agents  as  a  merchant [seaman] MARINER 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,  nineteen  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  over-
 seas  under  United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world
 war II during the period of armed conflict, December  seventh,  nineteen
 hundred  forty-one  through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and
 (iv) who was discharged or released  therefrom  under  honorable  condi-
 tions,  or  (v) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
 the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one
 of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, 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  Trans-
 port  Service  during the period of armed conflict, December fourteenth,
 nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth,  nineteen  hundred
 forty-five,  and  who  (vii)  was discharged or released therefrom under
 honorable conditions, or (viii) has a qualifying condition,  as  defined
 in  section  one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMI-
 LIES law, and has  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable from such service, or (ix) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, and who was  a  teacher  in  the  public
 schools  of  this  state at the time of [his or her] THEIR entrance into
 the armed forces of the United  States,  provided  no  compensation  was
 received  under  the  provisions of section two hundred forty-two of the
 military law, and who  returned  to  public  school  teaching  following
 discharge  or  completion  of advanced education provided under service-
 men's readjustment act of nineteen hundred forty-four, or who  following
 A. 8967                            13
 
 such  discharge  or  release  entered into a service which would qualify
 [him or her] THEM pursuant to section forty-three of the retirement  and
 social security law to transfer [his or her] THEIR membership in the New
 York  state  teachers'  retirement system, shall be provided as follows,
 any provisions of section two hundred forty-three of the military law to
 the contrary notwithstanding.
   7. A teacher, who was a member of the New York state teachers  retire-
 ment  system  but  who  withdrew [his or her] THEIR accumulated contrib-
 utions immediately prior to [his or her] THEIR  entry  into,  or  during
 [his  or  her] THEIR service in the armed forces of the United States in
 war after World War I, who (i) has been honorably discharged or released
 from service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in  section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such  service,  or  (iii)  is  a  discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
 section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from  such  service,  provided  no  compensation  was received under the
 provisions of section two hundred forty-two of the military law, and who
 returned to public school teaching in the state of  New  York  following
 such discharge or release, or following completion of advanced education
 provided  under servicemen's readjustment act of nineteen hundred forty-
 four, any provisions of section two hundred forty-three of the  military
 law  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,  will be entitled to credit for
 service in war after World War I, cost  free,  provided,  however,  that
 such  credit  will not be allowed until [he or she claims and pays] THEY
 CLAIM AND PAY for all prior teaching service credited to  [him  or  her]
 THEM  at the time of [his or her] THEIR termination of membership in the
 New York state teachers retirement system,  and  provided  further  that
 claim  for  such  service in war after World War I shall be filed by the
 member with the retirement board before the first day of July,  nineteen
 hundred sixty-eight.
   c.  (i)  has  been  honorably  discharged  or released under honorable
 circumstances from such service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged  LGBT  veteran,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES  law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
 or dishonorable from such service, and
   In addition to credit for military service  pursuant  to  section  two
 hundred  forty-three  of  the  military law and subdivisions six through
 nine of this section, a member employed as a  full-time  teacher  by  an
 employer  as defined in subdivision three of section five hundred one of
 this article and who joined the retirement system prior to  July  first,
 nineteen  hundred  seventy-three, may obtain credit for military service
 not in excess of three years and not otherwise creditable under  section
 two hundred forty-three of the military law and subdivisions six through
 nine of this section, rendered on active duty in the armed forces of the
 United  States during the period commencing July first, nineteen hundred
 forty, and terminating December thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred  forty-
 six,  or on service by one who was employed by the War Shipping Adminis-
 tration or Office  of  Defense  Transportation  or  their  agents  as  a
 merchant [seaman] MARINER 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
 A. 8967                            14
 
 Army  Transportation  Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation
 Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the peri-
 od of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred  forty-one,  to
 August  fifteenth,  nineteen 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 ocean-
 going 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  on  service  by  one 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, December seventh, nineteen  hundred  forty-one
 through  May  eighth,  nineteen  hundred  forty-five,  and  who  (i) was
 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has
 a qualifying condition, as defined in  section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service,  or
 (iii)  is  a  discharged  LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or on service by one 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, Decem-
 ber fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one  through  August  fourteenth,
 nineteen  hundred  forty-five,  and  who (iv) was discharged or released
 therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying condition,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than  bad  conduct
 or dishonorable from such service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES  law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
 or dishonorable from such service, by a person who was a resident of New
 York state at the time of entry into such service and  at  the  time  of
 being  discharged therefrom under honorable circumstances, and who makes
 the payments required in accordance with the provisions of this subdivi-
 sion.
   In addition to credit for military service  pursuant  to  section  two
 hundred  forty-three  of  the  military law and subdivisions six through
 nine of this section, a member who joined the retirement system prior to
 July first, nineteen hundred seventy-three, and who was not eligible for
 credit for military service under subdivision ten of this section  as  a
 result  of  being on a leave of absence without pay between July twenti-
 eth,  nineteen  hundred  seventy-six  and  October  fifteenth,  nineteen
 hundred  seventy-seven  or  on  leave of absence with less than full pay
 between  July  twentieth,  nineteen  hundred  seventy-six  and   October
 fifteenth,  nineteen  hundred seventy-seven, may obtain credit for mili-
 tary service not in excess of three years and not  otherwise  creditable
 under  section  two hundred forty-three of the military law and subdivi-
 sions six through nine of this section, rendered on active duty  in  the
 armed  forces  of  the  United  States during the period commencing July
 first, nineteen hundred forty, and  terminating  December  thirty-first,
 A. 8967                            15
 
 nineteen hundred forty-six, or on service by one who was employed by the
 War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or their
 agents  as  a  merchant [seaman] MARINER 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,  nineteen  hundred forty-five, aboard
 merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal,  or  coast-
 wise  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 on service by one 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  (i) was discharged or released therefrom
 under honorable conditions, or  (ii)  has  a  qualifying  condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged  LGBT  veteran,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES  law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
 or dishonorable from such service, or on service by one 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  affil-
 iates  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, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was
 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v)  has
 a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service, by a person who was a resident of New York state at the time of
 entry  into  such  service and at the time of being discharged therefrom
 under honorable circumstances, and who makes the  payments  required  in
 accordance with the provisions of this subdivision.
   § 29. Subdivision 5 of section 605 of the education law, as amended by
 section  42  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   5. Regents scholarships for war veterans. Regents scholarships for war
 veterans shall be awarded on a competitive basis,  for  study  beginning
 with  the  college  year nineteen hundred seventy-five--nineteen hundred
 seventy-six. Six hundred such scholarships shall be awarded in such year
 to veterans of the armed forces of the United States who have served  on
 active  duty  (other  than  for  training) between October one, nineteen
 hundred sixty-one and March twenty-nine, nineteen hundred seventy-three,
 A. 8967                            16
 
 and who on the date by which applications are required to  be  submitted
 (a)  have  been  released  from such active duty on conditions not other
 than honorable, or (b)  have  a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and have received a discharge other than bad conduct  or  dishonor-
 able  from such service, or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined
 in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMI-
 LIES  law,  and  have  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service. Such scholarships shall be allocated  to
 each  county  in  the  state  in the same ratio that the number of legal
 residents in such county, as  determined  by  the  most  recent  federal
 census,  bears  to the total number of residents in the state; provided,
 however, that no county shall be allocated fewer scholarships than  such
 county  received  during  the  year nineteen hundred sixty-eight--sixty-
 nine.
   § 30. Subparagraph 3 of paragraph b of subdivision 3 of section 663 of
 the education law, as amended by section 43 of part PP of chapter 56  of
 the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (3) The applicant was enlisted in full time active military service in
 the  armed  forces  of  the  United  States  and  (i) has been honorably
 discharged from such service, or (ii) has  a  qualifying  condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged  LGBT  veteran,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES  law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct
 or dishonorable from such service,  and,  provided,  however,  that  the
 applicant  has  not  and  will  not  be claimed as a dependent by either
 parent for purposes of either federal or state income tax.
   § 31. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 and paragraph (b) of  subdivision
 2  of section 668 of the education law, as amended by section 44 of part
 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   (b) December seven, nineteen hundred forty-one to December thirty-one,
 nineteen hundred forty-six, or have been employed by  the  War  Shipping
 Administration  or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a
 merchant [seaman] MARINER 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 peri-
 od  of  armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to
 August fifteenth, nineteen 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 ocean-
 going  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 have served as a United States civilian employed by the Amer-
 ican Field Service and served overseas under United  States  Armies  and
 United  States  Army  Groups  in world war II during the period of armed
 conflict, December  seventh,  nineteen  hundred  forty-one  through  May
 eighth,  nineteen  hundred  forty-five,  and  who  (i) was discharged or
 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a  qualifying
 condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETER-
 A. 8967                            17
 
 ANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge  other  than
 bad  conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or have 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  affil-
 iates  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, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was
 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v)  has
 a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service.
   (b)  (i)  is  an  honorably discharged veteran of the United States or
 member of the armed forces of the United States, or (ii) has a  qualify-
 ing  condition,  as  defined  in section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than  bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from  such  service, or (iii) is a
 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service,  who
 is a resident of the state of New York, and who has a current disability
 of  forty  percent  or more as a result of an injury or illness which is
 incurred or was incurred during such military service; or
   § 32. Subdivision 1 of section 668-c of the education law, as  amended
 by  section  45 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended
 to read as follows:
   1. Eligible students. Awards shall be made to Vietnam veterans'  resi-
 dent  children born with Spina Bifida enrolled in approved undergraduate
 or graduate programs at degree granting institutions. For the purpose of
 this section, "Vietnam veteran" shall mean a person who served in  Indo-
 china  at  any  time  from  the  first day of November, nineteen hundred
 fifty-five, to and including the seventh day of  May,  nineteen  hundred
 seventy-five  and  (a) was honorably discharged from the armed forces of
 the United States, or (b) has a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from the armed forces of the United States, or (c) is a discharged  LGBT
 veteran,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS
 AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad
 conduct  or  dishonorable  from  the  armed forces of the United States;
 "born with Spina Bifida" shall mean a diagnosis at birth of such disease
 inclusive of all forms,  manifestations,  complications  and  associated
 medical  conditions thereof, but shall not include Spina Bifida Occulta.
 Such diagnosis shall be in accordance with the provisions of the federal
 Spina Bifida program and shall be documented by the United States Admin-
 istration of Veterans' Affairs.
   § 33. Paragraphs a, b, c, and d of subdivision 1 of section  669-a  of
 the  education law, as amended by section 46 of part PP of chapter 56 of
 the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
 A. 8967                            18
 
   a. "Vietnam veteran" means (i) a person who  is  a  resident  of  this
 state, (ii) who served in the armed forces of the United States in Indo-
 china  at  any  time  from  the  first day of November, nineteen hundred
 fifty-five, to and including the seventh day of  May,  nineteen  hundred
 seventy-five, and (iii) who was either discharged therefrom under honor-
 able  conditions,  including  but  not  limited  to honorable discharge,
 discharge under honorable conditions, or general  discharge,  or  has  a
 qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in  section  one  of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of  the  [veter-
 ans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
   b. "Persian Gulf veteran" means (i) a person who is a resident of this
 state (ii) who served in the armed forces of the United  States  in  the
 hostilities  that  occurred  in  the Persian Gulf from the second day of
 August, nineteen hundred ninety through the end of such hostilities, and
 (iii) who was either discharged therefrom  under  honorable  conditions,
 including but not limited to honorable discharge, discharge under honor-
 able conditions, or general discharge, or has a qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or is  a  discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service.
   c. "Afghanistan veteran" means (i) a person who is a resident of  this
 state  (ii)  who  served in the armed forces of the United States in the
 hostilities that occurred  in  Afghanistan  from  the  eleventh  day  of
 September,  two  thousand one, to the end of such hostilities, and (iii)
 who was either discharged therefrom under honorable conditions,  includ-
 ing  but  not  limited to honorable discharge, discharge under honorable
 conditions, or general discharge, or  has  a  qualifying  condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or is  a  discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service.
   d. "Other eligible combat veteran" means: an individual who (i)  is  a
 resident  of  this  state, (ii) served in the armed forces of the United
 States in hostilities that occurred after February twenty-eighth,  nine-
 teen hundred sixty-one, as evidenced by their receipt of an Armed Forces
 Expeditionary  Medal,  Navy Expeditionary Medal, or Marine Corps Expedi-
 tionary Medal, and (iii) was either discharged  under  honorable  condi-
 tions, including but not limited to honorable discharge, discharge under
 honorable  conditions,  or general discharge, or has a qualifying condi-
 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad
 conduct  or  dishonorable  from  such  service,  or is a discharged LGBT
 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETERANS
 AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable from such service.
   § 33-a. Paragraph d of subdivision 1 of section 669-a of the education
 law, as amended by chapter 453 of the laws of 2024 and subparagraph (ii)
 A. 8967                            19
 
 as amended by chapter 75 of the laws of 2025,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   d. "Other eligible veteran" means: an individual who (i) is a resident
 of  this state, (ii) served in the armed forces of the United States (1)
 on active duty for at least four  years,  or  (2)  in  hostilities  that
 occurred  after  February  twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred sixty-one, as
 evidenced by their receipt of an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal,  Navy
 Expeditionary  Medal, or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, and (iii) was
 either discharged under honorable conditions, including but not  limited
 to honorable discharge, discharge under honorable conditions, or general
 discharge,  or  has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
 the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of
 the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service.
   §  34.  Subdivision 1 of section 3202 of the education law, as amended
 by section 47 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022,  is  amended
 to read as follows:
   1.  A  person  over five and under twenty-one years of age who has not
 received a high school diploma is entitled to attend the public  schools
 maintained  in  the  district  in  which such person resides without the
 payment of tuition. Provided further that such person  may  continue  to
 attend  the public school in such district in the same manner, if tempo-
 rarily residing outside the boundaries of the district  when  relocation
 to  such temporary residence is a consequence of such person's parent or
 person in parental relationship being called to  active  military  duty,
 other  than  training. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
 contrary, the school district shall not be required to provide transpor-
 tation between a temporary  residence  located  outside  of  the  school
 district  and  the  school  the  child attends. A veteran of any age who
 shall have served as a member of the armed forces of the  United  States
 and  who (a) shall have been discharged therefrom under conditions other
 than dishonorable, or (b) has a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran,  as  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from such service, may attend any of the public  schools  of  the  state
 upon  conditions prescribed by the board of education, and such veterans
 shall be included in the pupil count for state aid purposes. A nonveter-
 an under twenty-one years of age who has received a high school  diploma
 shall  be  permitted to attend classes in the schools of the district in
 which such person resides or in a  school  of  a  board  of  cooperative
 educational services upon payment of tuition under such terms and condi-
 tions  as shall be established in regulations promulgated by the commis-
 sioner; provided, however, that a school district may waive the  payment
 of  tuition  for  such nonveteran, but in any case such a nonveteran who
 has received a high school diploma shall not be counted  for  any  state
 aid  purposes.  Nothing herein contained shall, however, require a board
 of education to admit a child who becomes five years of  age  after  the
 school  year  has commenced unless [his or her] THEIR birthday occurs on
 or before the first of December.
 A. 8967                            20

   § 35. Subdivision 1 of section 3308 of the education law,  as  amended
 by section 5 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   1. Each member state shall, through the creation of a state council or
 use of an existing body or board, provide for the coordination among its
 agencies  of government, local educational agencies and military instal-
 lations concerning the state's participation in,  and  compliance  with,
 this  compact  and  interstate  commission  activities. In New York, the
 state council shall include the  commissioner  or  [his  or  her]  THEIR
 designee,  the  commissioner of the New York state department of [veter-
 ans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES  or  [his  or  her]  THEIR
 designee,  the adjutant general of the state of New York or [his or her]
 THEIR designee, a superintendent  of  a  school  district  with  a  high
 concentration  of  military  children  appointed  by the commissioner, a
 district superintendent of schools of a board of cooperative educational
 services serving an area with a high concentration of military  children
 appointed  by the commissioner, a representative from a military instal-
 lation appointed by the governor, a representative of military  families
 appointed by the governor, a public member appointed by the governor and
 one  representative  each  appointed by the speaker of the assembly, the
 temporary president of the senate and the governor.
   § 36. Clause (h) of subparagraph 3 of paragraph b of subdivision 1  of
 section  4402  of the education law, as amended by section 48 of part PP
 of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (h) Provide the form developed pursuant to subdivision  twenty-two  of
 section  four of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law to the parent or person in parental relation of a  child  designated
 by the committee as either disabled or emotionally disturbed.
   § 37. Subdivision 1 of section 6505-c of the education law, as amended
 by section 6 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   1.  The  commissioner  shall develop, jointly with the commissioner of
 the department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, a
 program to facilitate articulation between participation in the military
 service of the United States or the military service of  the  state  and
 admission  to practice of a profession. The commissioner and the commis-
 sioner of [veterans' services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  shall
 identify,  review  and  evaluate  professional training programs offered
 through either the military service of the United States or the military
 service of the state which may, where applicable,  be  accepted  by  the
 department  as  equivalent education and training in lieu of all or part
 of an approved program. Particular emphasis shall be placed on the iden-
 tification of  military  programs  which  have  previously  been  deemed
 acceptable  by  the  department  as  equivalent  education and training,
 programs which may provide, where applicable, equivalent  education  and
 training  for  those professions which are critical to public health and
 safety and programs which  may  provide,  where  applicable,  equivalent
 education  and  training for those professions for which shortages exist
 in the state of New York.
   § 38. Subdivision 15 of section 1-104 of the election law, as  amended
 by  section  49 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended
 to read as follows:
   15. The term "veterans'  hospital"  means  any  sanitarium,  hospital,
 soldiers'  and  sailors'  home,  United  States Veterans' Administration
 Hospital, or other home or institution,  which  is  used,  operated  and
 conducted exclusively for the care, maintenance and treatment of persons
 A. 8967                            21
 
 serving  in  the  military or naval service or coast guard of the United
 States or the state of New York,  or  persons  who  (a)  were  honorably
 discharged  from  such  service,  or (b) have a qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  have received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or (c) are a discharged LGBT veteran, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and have received a discharge other than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable from such service.
   § 39. Subdivision 4 of section 5-210 of the election law, as separate-
 ly  amended  by  section 50 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022
 and chapter 113 of the laws of 2023, is amended to read as follows:
   4. Any qualified person who has been  honorably  discharged  from  the
 military  after  the  twenty-fifth day before a general election, or who
 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from the military after
 the twenty-fifth day before a general election, or who is  a  discharged
 LGBT  veteran,  as  defined  in  section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than  bad  conduct  or  dishonorable from the military after the twenty-
 fifth day before a general election, or who  has  become  a  naturalized
 citizen  after  the  twenty-fifth  day  before  a  general  election may
 personally register at the board of elections in  the  county  of  their
 residence  and vote in the general election held at least ten days after
 such registration.
   § 40. The opening paragraph of section 5-211 of the election  law,  as
 amended  by  section  7 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   Each agency designated as a participating agency under the  provisions
 of this section shall implement and administer a program of distribution
 of  voter registration forms pursuant to the provisions of this section.
 The following offices which provide  public  assistance  and/or  provide
 state funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons
 with  disabilities are hereby designated as voter registration agencies:
 designated as the state agencies which provide public assistance are the
 office of children and family services,  the  office  of  temporary  and
 disability  assistance  and the department of health. Also designated as
 public assistance agencies are all agencies  of  local  government  that
 provide  such  assistance.  Designated  as  state  agencies that provide
 programs primarily engaged in providing services to people with disabil-
 ities are the department of labor, office for the aging,  department  of
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES, office of mental
 health, office of vocational and educational  services  for  individuals
 with  disabilities, commission on quality of care for the mentally disa-
 bled, office for people with developmental disabilities, commission  for
 the  blind, office of addiction services and supports, the office of the
 advocate for the disabled and  all  offices  which  administer  programs
 established  or  funded by such agencies. Additional participating agen-
 cies designated as voter registration  offices  are  the  department  of
 state  and the district offices of the workers' compensation board. Such
 agencies shall be required to offer voter registration forms to  persons
 upon  initial  application  for services, renewal or recertification for
 services and upon change of address  relating  to  such  services.  Such
 agencies  shall  also  be responsible for providing assistance to appli-
 cants in completing voter registration forms, receiving and transmitting
 A. 8967                            22
 
 the completed application form from all applicants who wish to have such
 form transmitted to the appropriate board of elections. The state  board
 of  elections  shall, together with representatives of the United States
 department  of  defense,  develop and implement procedures for including
 recruitment offices of the armed forces of the United  States  as  voter
 registration offices when such offices are so designated by federal law.
 The  state  board  of  elections  shall  also make request of the United
 States Citizenship and Immigration Services to include applications  for
 registration by mail with any materials which are given to new citizens.
   § 41. Subdivision 16 of section 11-0305 of the environmental conserva-
 tion  law, as amended by section 51 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws
 of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   16. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of  law,  to  authorize
 free  sport  fishing clinics. A free sport fishing clinic shall include,
 but not be limited to, instruction provided by employees of the  depart-
 ment or its designee in recreational angling, including its benefits and
 values,  and may also include instruction and other information relevant
 to an understanding of fisheries management, ethics and aquatic  ecology
 and  habitat.  No license or recreational marine fishing registration is
 required to take fish by angling while participating in a fishing clinic
 conducted by the department or its designee that has been designated  by
 the  commissioner  as a free sport fishing clinic. Such clinics shall be
 implemented consistent with department standards and in a manner  deter-
 mined  by  the  department  to best provide public notice thereof and to
 maximize public participation therein, so as to promote the recreational
 opportunities afforded by sport fishing. Further, the  commissioner  may
 designate  additional  fishing  events  organized through the department
 that provide physical  or  emotional  rehabilitation  for  veterans,  as
 defined  in subdivision three of section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, or active duty members of the  armed
 forces  of  the United States. No license or recreational marine fishing
 registration shall be required for such veterans or active duty  members
 to take fish by angling while participating in these events.
   §  42. Subdivision 4 of section 11-0715 of the environmental conserva-
 tion law, as amended by section 52 of part PP of chapter 56 of the  laws
 of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   4. A person, resident in the state for at least thirty days immediate-
 ly  prior  to  the  date  of  application,  who  (a)  has been honorably
 discharged from service in the armed forces of the United States, or (b)
 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service,  or
 (c)  is  a  discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, and is certified as having a forty percent or greater  service-
 connected  disability  is  entitled to receive all licenses, privileges,
 tags, and permits authorized by this title for which [he or she is] THEY
 ARE eligible, except turkey permits, renewable  each  year  for  a  five
 dollar fee.
   §  43.  Paragraphs (o) and (p) of subdivision 5 of section 94-b of the
 executive law, as added by chapter 625 of the laws of 2024, are  amended
 to read as follows:
   (o)  Encourage the development of and provide for the establishment of
 a state military immigrant family legacy program liaison, as provided in
 A. 8967                            23
 
 section twenty-nine-b of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY
 FAMILIES law; and
   (p)  Request individuals seeking assistance from the office answer the
 following questions: "Have you served in the  United  States  military?"
 "Has  someone  in  your  family  served  in the United States military?"
 Individuals identifying themselves  or  a  family  member  as  "intended
 recipients"  of  the staff sergeant Alex R. Jimenez New York state mili-
 tary immigrant family legacy program as such term is  defined  in  para-
 graph (e) of subdivision one of section [twenty-nine-b] TWENTY-NINE-D of
 the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, shall be
 advised of such program. In addition, such individuals shall be informed
 that the department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY  FAMI-
 LIES  and  local  veterans'  service  agencies  established  pursuant to
 section seventeen of the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law  provide assistance to uniformed service members, veterans
 and their families regarding benefits available under federal and  state
 law.  Information  regarding  veterans  and  military status provided by
 assisted individuals shall be protected as personal confidential materi-
 al, and used only to identify such individuals as "intended  recipients"
 of the staff sergeant Alex R.  Jimenez New York State military immigrant
 family  legacy program, and to assist such individuals in matters relat-
 ing to immigration status and citizenship, and in referring  such  indi-
 viduals  to the department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES or local veterans' service agencies for information and assist-
 ance with regard to benefits and entitlements under  federal  and  state
 law.
   § 44. Subdivision 1 of section 130 of the executive law, as amended by
 section  54  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   1. The secretary of state may appoint and commission as many  notaries
 public  for  the state of New York as in [his or her] THEIR judgment may
 be deemed best, whose jurisdiction shall be co-extensive with the bound-
 aries of the state. The appointment of a notary public shall  be  for  a
 term  of  four years. An application for an appointment as notary public
 shall be in form and set forth such matters as the  secretary  of  state
 shall  prescribe.  Every  person appointed as notary public must, at the
 time of [his or her] THEIR appointment, be a resident of  the  state  of
 New  York  or  have  an office or place of business in New York state. A
 notary public who is a resident of the state and who moves  out  of  the
 state  but  still maintains a place of business or an office in New York
 state does not vacate [his or her] THEIR office as a  notary  public.  A
 notary  public  who is a nonresident and who ceases to have an office or
 place of business in this state, vacates [his or her] THEIR office as  a
 notary  public.  A notary public who is a resident of New York state and
 moves out of the state and who does not retain an  office  or  place  of
 business in this state shall vacate [his or her] THEIR office as a nota-
 ry  public.  A  non-resident  who accepts the office of notary public in
 this state thereby appoints the secretary of state as  the  person  upon
 whom  process can be served on [his or her] THEIR behalf. Before issuing
 to any applicant a commission as notary public, unless [he or she]  THEY
 ARE  be  an  attorney and counsellor at law duly admitted to practice in
 this state or a court clerk of the unified court  system  who  has  been
 appointed  to  such  position  after  taking a civil service promotional
 examination in the court clerk series of titles, the secretary of  state
 shall  satisfy  [himself  or  herself] THEMSELF that the applicant is of
 good moral character, has the equivalent of a  common  school  education
 A. 8967                            24
 
 and is familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public;
 provided,  however, that where a notary public applies, before the expi-
 ration of [his or her] THEIR term, for  reappointment  with  the  county
 clerk  or  where a person whose term as notary public shall have expired
 applies within six months  thereafter  for  reappointment  as  a  notary
 public with the county clerk, such qualifying requirements may be waived
 by  the  secretary of state, and further, where an application for reap-
 pointment is filed with the county clerk after  the  expiration  of  the
 aforementioned  renewal  period  by a person who failed or was unable to
 re-apply by reason of [his or her] THEIR induction or enlistment in  the
 armed forces of the United States, such qualifying requirements may also
 be waived by the secretary of state, provided such application for reap-
 pointment  is  made  within  a  period  of  one  year after the military
 discharge of the applicant under conditions other than dishonorable,  or
 if  the  applicant has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one
 of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, within a
 period of one year after the applicant has received  a  discharge  other
 than  bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or if the applicant
 is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of  the  [veter-
 ans'  services]   VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, within a period of
 one year after the applicant has received a  discharge  other  than  bad
 conduct  or dishonorable from such service. In any case, the appointment
 or reappointment of any applicant is in the discretion of the  secretary
 of  state. The secretary of state may suspend or remove from office, for
 misconduct, any notary public appointed by [him or her] THEM but no such
 removal shall be made unless the person who  is  sought  to  be  removed
 shall  have  been served with a copy of the charges against [him or her]
 THEM and have  an  opportunity  of  being  heard.  No  person  shall  be
 appointed  as a notary public under this article who has been convicted,
 in this state or any other state or territory, of a  crime,  unless  the
 secretary  makes  a finding in conformance with all applicable statutory
 requirements, including those contained in article twenty-three-A of the
 correction law, that  such  convictions  do  not  constitute  a  bar  to
 appointment.
   § 45. Subdivision 1 of section 191 of the executive law, as amended by
 section  10  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   1. There is hereby established within the  division  of  military  and
 naval  affairs  a  temporary  advisory  committee on the restoration and
 display of New York state's military battle flags (hereinafter  referred
 to  as  the  "committee").  The committee shall have thirteen members as
 follows: the adjutant general, the director of the New York state  mili-
 tary  heritage  museum, the commissioners of education and parks, recre-
 ation and historic preservation and the commissioner of  the  department
 of  [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, or their desig-
 nated representatives, two  members  appointed  each  by  the  governor,
 speaker of the assembly and majority leader of the senate and one member
 each  appointed  by  the minority leaders of the senate and assembly and
 shall serve at the  pleasure  of  the  appointing  authority.  Appointed
 members  shall  include  individuals  with  experience in restoration of
 historical memorabilia, expertise in military history, or  a  background
 in historical restoration or fine arts conservation. No appointed member
 shall  be  a  member of the executive, legislative or judicial branch of
 the state government at the time of  [his/her]  THEIR  appointment.  The
 advisory  committee  shall  meet  at least four times a year. No members
 shall receive any compensation, but members who are not state  officials
 A. 8967                            25
 
 may receive actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of
 their duties.
   § 46. Subdivision 1 of section 643 of the executive law, as amended by
 section  11  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   1. As used in this section, "crime victim-related  agency"  means  any
 agency  of state government which provides services to or deals directly
 with crime victims, including (a) the  office  of  children  and  family
 services,  the  office  for  the  aging,  the  department  of [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, the office  of  probation  and
 correctional  alternatives,  the department of corrections and community
 supervision, the office of victim  services,  the  department  of  motor
 vehicles,  the office of vocational rehabilitation, the workers' compen-
 sation board, the department of health, the division of criminal justice
 services, the office of mental health,  every  transportation  authority
 and the division of state police, and (b) any other agency so designated
 by  the  governor  within  ninety  days  of  the  effective date of this
 section.
   § 47. Subdivision 1 of section 32 of  the  general  business  law,  as
 amended  by  section 55 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   1. Every member of the armed forces of the United States who  (a)  was
 honorably  discharged  from such service, or (b) has a qualifying condi-
 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad
 conduct  or  dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT
 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETERANS
 AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable from such service, and who is a resident of this
 state and a veteran of any war, or who shall have served  in  the  armed
 forces  of  the  United States overseas, and the surviving spouse of any
 such veteran, if a resident of the state, shall have the right to  hawk,
 peddle,  vend and sell goods, wares or merchandise or solicit trade upon
 the streets and highways within the county of [his or her]  THEIR  resi-
 dence,  as  the  case  may be, or if such county is embraced wholly by a
 city, within such city, by procuring a license for that  purpose  to  be
 issued  as  herein  provided. No part of the lands or premises under the
 jurisdiction of the division of the state  fair  in  the  department  of
 agriculture  and markets, shall be deemed a street or highway within the
 meaning of this section.
   § 48. Section 35 of the general business law, as amended by section 56
 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   §  35. Municipal regulations. This article shall not affect the appli-
 cation of any ordinance, by-law or regulation of a municipal corporation
 relating to hawkers and peddlers within the limits of such corporations,
 but the provisions of this article are to be complied with  in  addition
 to  the  requirements  of  any  such  ordinance,  by-law  or regulation;
 provided, however, that no such by-law, ordinance  or  regulation  shall
 prevent or in any manner interfere with the hawking or peddling, without
 the  use of any but a hand driven vehicle, in any street, avenue, alley,
 lane or park of a municipal corporation,  by  any  honorably  discharged
 member  of  the  armed forces of the United States who (1) was honorably
 discharged from such service, or (2)  has  a  qualifying  condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 A. 8967                            26

 dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable  from  such  service,  and  who is physically disabled as a
 result of injuries received while in the service of  said  armed  forces
 and  the  holder  of a license granted pursuant to section thirty-two of
 this article.
   § 49. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 35-a  of  the  general
 business  law,  as amended by section 57 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (a) In cities having a population of one million or more, the official
 designated by a local law or ordinance to issue a local license to hawk,
 peddle, vend and sell goods, wares or merchandise or solicit trade  upon
 the  streets and highways within such city shall issue specialized vend-
 ing licenses to members of the armed forces of the United States who (i)
 were honorably discharged from such service, or (ii) have  a  qualifying
 condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETER-
 ANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received a discharge other  than  bad
 conduct  or  dishonorable  from  such service, or (iii) are a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, and  who  are  physically
 disabled  as  a result of injuries received while in the service of said
 armed forces and who are eligible to hold licenses granted  pursuant  to
 section  thirty-two  of  this article. Such specialized vending licenses
 shall authorize holders thereof to hawk or peddle within  such  city  in
 accordance  with  the  provisions contained in this section. Specialized
 vending licenses issued under this  section  shall  permit  the  holders
 thereof to vend on any block face, and no licensee authorized under this
 section  shall be restricted in any way from vending in any area, except
 as provided in this section.
   § 50. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 3 of section 69-p  of  the  general
 business  law,  as amended by section 58 of part PP of chapter 56 of the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (b) In the case of persons who are or were in the military service and
 (i) have  been  or  will  be  discharged  under  conditions  other  than
 dishonorable, or (ii) have a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or  (iii)  are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 have  received  a  discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, the period of two years specified in  subdivision  one  of
 this  section need not be continuous. The length of time such person was
 engaged in the business of installing, servicing or maintaining security
 or fire alarm systems before entering the military service may be  added
 to  any period of time during which such person was or is engaged in the
 business of installing, servicing or maintaining security or fire  alarm
 systems after the termination of military service.
   §  51.  The  closing  paragraph of section 435 of the general business
 law, as amended by section 59 of part PP of chapter 56 of  the  laws  of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   In the case of persons who are or were in the military service and (a)
 have  been  or  will be discharged under conditions other than dishonor-
 able, or (b) have a qualifying condition, as defined in section  one  of
 the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and
 A. 8967                            27
 
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined in section one
 of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and have
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, the period of one year specified in  subdivision  one  of  this
 section  and  the  period  of six months specified in subdivision two of
 this section need not be continuous. The length of time such person  was
 engaged  in  the  practice  of  barbering  before  entering the military
 service may be added to any period of time during which such person  was
 or  is  engaged  in  the  practice of barbering after the termination of
 military service.
   § 52. Section 13-a of the general  construction  law,  as  amended  by
 section  60  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   § 13-a. Armed forces of the United States. "Armed forces of the United
 States" means the army, navy, marine corps, air force  and  coast  guard
 including  all  components  thereof,  and the national guard when in the
 service of the United States  pursuant  to  call  as  provided  by  law.
 Pursuant  to  this  definition no person shall be considered a member or
 veteran of the armed forces of the United States  unless  [his  or  her]
 THEIR  service therein is or was on a full-time active duty basis, other
 than active duty for training or [he or she was] THEY WERE  employed  by
 the  War  Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or
 their agents as a merchant [seaman] MARINER  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, nineteen 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 [he or she] THEY 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, December seventh,
 nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen  hundred  forty-
 five,  and  (i)  was  discharged  or  released therefrom under honorable
 conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as  defined  in  section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such  service,  or  (iii)  is  a  discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
 section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from  such service, or [he or she] THEY served as a United States civil-
 ian 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, nineteen hundred forty-five,  and  (iv)  was  discharged  or
 A. 8967                            28
 
 released  therefrom  under honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying
 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETER-
 ANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than
 bad  conduct  or dishonorable from such service, or (vi) is a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
   § 53. Subdivision 1 of section 77 of the  general  municipal  law,  as
 amended  by  section 61 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   1. A municipal corporation may lease, for not exceeding five years, to
 a post or posts of the Grand Army of the Republic, Veterans  of  Foreign
 Wars of the United States, American Legion, Catholic War Veterans, Inc.,
 Disabled  American  Veterans,  the  Army  and Navy Union, U.S.A., Marine
 Corps League, AMVETS, American Veterans of  World  War  II,  Jewish  War
 Veterans  of  the  United States, Inc., Italian American War Veterans of
 the United States, Incorporated, Masonic War Veterans of  the  State  of
 New  York, Inc., Veterans of World War I of the United States of America
 Department of New York, Inc., Polish-American Veterans of World War  II,
 Amsterdam,  N.Y.,  Inc., Polish-American Veterans of World War II, Sche-
 nectady, N.Y., Inc., Polish Legion of American Veterans,  Inc.,  Vietnam
 Veterans  of  America  or  other  veteran organization of members of the
 uniformed  services  of  the  United  States  who  (a)  were   honorably
 discharged  from  such  service  or  (b) have a qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable  from such service, or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable from such service, or to an incorporated organization or an
 association  of either active or exempt volunteer firefighters, a public
 building or part  thereof,  belonging  to  such  municipal  corporation,
 except  schoolhouses  in  actual  use  as such, without expense, or at a
 nominal rent, fixed by the board or council having charge of such build-
 ings and provide furniture and furnishings, and heat, light and  janitor
 service therefor, in like manner.
   § 54. Section 99-v of the general municipal law, as amended by section
 12  of  part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
 follows:
   § 99-v. Veterans services; display of events. Each county, city,  town
 or  village  may  adopt  a  local  law to provide a bulletin board to be
 conspicuously displayed in such county, city, town or  village  building
 holding  its  local legislative body or municipal offices. Such bulletin
 board shall be used  by  veterans  organizations,  the  New  York  state
 department  of  [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, the
 county veterans service  agency  or  city  veterans  service  agency  to
 display  information  regarding  veterans  in such county, city, town or
 village. Such information may include, but not be limited  to,  benefits
 or upcoming veterans related events in the community.
   §  55. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 and paragraph (a) of subdivision
 1-a of section 148 of the general municipal law, paragraph (a) of subdi-
 vision 1 as amended by section 62 of part PP of chapter 56 of  the  laws
 of  2022  and paragraph (a) of subdivision 1-a as amended by chapter 620
 of the laws of 2023, are amended to read as follows:
   (a) The board of supervisors in each of the counties, or the board  of
 estimate  in  the  city of New York, shall designate some proper person,
 A. 8967                            29
 
 association or commission, other than that designated for  the  care  of
 burial  of  public  charges or criminals, who shall cause to be interred
 the body of any member of the uniformed services of  the  United  States
 who  (i) was honorably discharged from such service or (ii) had a quali-
 fying condition, as defined in section one of the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) was a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or the body of any  minor
 child or either parent, or the spouse or unremarried surviving spouse of
 any  such member of the uniformed services of the United States, if such
 person shall hereafter die in a county or in the city of New York  with-
 out  leaving  sufficient  means  to  defray  [his  or her] THEIR funeral
 expenses.
   (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in  the  case
 of  a  veteran,  as  defined  in section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, or who has a qualifying condition as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law and has received a discharge  other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable,  or is a discharged LGBT veteran as defined in section one
 of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable, who died in
 a  county  or  the city of New York leaving no funds or insurance suffi-
 cient to pay funeral and burial expenses of such veteran and such veter-
 an has no next of kin or  person  of  record  previously  designated  to
 control  [his  or  her] THEIR final disposition pursuant to section four
 thousand two hundred one of the public health law, such  county  or  the
 city  of  New  York  shall request a congressionally chartered veterans'
 organization within the county or the city of New York where  the  dece-
 dent  resided  at the time of death, to engage the services of a funeral
 firm to conduct the funeral and burial services.
   § 56. Section 117-c of the highway law, as amended by  section  63  of
 part  PP  of  chapter  56  of  the  laws  of 2022, is amended to read as
 follows:
   § 117-c. Hawking, peddling, vending, sale of goods, wares or  merchan-
 dise; Erie county; certain areas. Notwithstanding any law to the contra-
 ry,  except  section thirty-five of the general business law, the county
 of Erie shall have the power to enact a local law  prohibiting  hawking,
 peddling,  vending  and sale of goods, wares or merchandise or solicita-
 tion of trade in the right-of-way of county roads  adjacent  to  arenas,
 stadiums,  auditoriums  or like facilities, which contain fifty thousand
 or more seats, which are used for events likely to attract large numbers
 of spectators, including but not limited to home  games  of  a  National
 Football  League  franchise.  Provided, however, that the power to enact
 such local law shall be subject to the  requirement  that  provision  be
 made,  by  lease  agreement,  regulation  or otherwise, for the hawking,
 peddling, vending and sales of goods, wares or merchandise or  solicita-
 tion  of trade in designated vending areas on the ground of county-owned
 lands leased for use as an arena, stadium or auditorium or like facility
 which contain fifty thousand or more seats; and  further  provided  that
 members  of the armed forces of the United States who (a) were honorably
 discharged from such service, or (b) have  a  qualifying  condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or (c) are discharged LGBT veterans,  as
 A. 8967                            30
 
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, and who are entitled to hawk, vend, sell
 or  peddle  merchandise  in the public right-of-way pursuant to sections
 thirty-two and thirty-five of the general business law, shall  be  given
 first  preference in any assignment or vending locations or in the allo-
 cation of such locations.
   § 57. Paragraph 11 of subsection (j) of section 2103 of the  insurance
 law,  as  amended  by section 64 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (11) No license fee shall be required of any person who  served  as  a
 member  of the armed forces of the United States at any time and who (A)
 shall have  been  discharged  therefrom,  under  conditions  other  than
 dishonorable,  or  (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, in a current licensing period, for the  duration  of  such
 period.
   §  58. Subparagraph (F) of paragraph 3 of subsection (e) and paragraph
 2 of subsection (f) of section 2104 of the insurance law, as amended  by
 section  65  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   (F) served as a member of the armed forces of the United States at any
 time, and shall (i) have been discharged  under  conditions  other  than
 dishonorable,  or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services]  VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such  service,  or  (iii)  is  a  discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
 section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from  such  service,  and  who  within three years prior to [his or her]
 THEIR entry into the armed forces held a license as insurance broker for
 similar lines, provided [his or her] THEIR application for such  license
 is filed before one year from the date of final discharge; or
   (2)  No  license  fee  shall be required of any person who served as a
 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time, and who (A)
 shall have been discharged, under conditions other than dishonorable, or
 (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veter-
 ans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as  defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service, in a current licensing period, for the duration of such period.
   §  59.  Paragraph 2 of subsection (i) of section 2108 of the insurance
 law, as amended by section 66 of part PP of chapter 56 of  the  laws  of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (2)  No  license  fee  shall be required of any person who served as a
 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time and who  (A)
 shall have been discharged, under conditions other than dishonorable, or
 (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veter-
 ans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service,  or
 A. 8967                            31
 
 (C)  is  a  discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, in a current licensing period, for the duration of such period.
   §  60. Paragraph 10 of subsection (h) of section 2137 of the insurance
 law, as amended by section 67 of part PP of chapter 56 of  the  laws  of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (10)  No  license  fee shall be required of any person who served as a
 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time and who  (A)
 shall  have  been  discharged  therefrom,  under  conditions  other than
 dishonorable, or (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined  in  section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such service, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such  service,  in  a current licensing period, for the duration of such
 period.
   § 61. Paragraph 11 of subsection (i) of section 2139 of the  insurance
 law,  as  amended  by section 68 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (11) No license fee shall be required of any person who  served  as  a
 member of the armed forces of the United States at any time, and who (A)
 shall  have  been  discharged  therefrom  under  conditions  other  than
 dishonorable, or (B) has a qualifying condition, as defined  in  section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such service, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such  service,  in  a  current licensing period for the duration of such
 period.
   § 62. Subdivision 2 of section 466 of the judiciary law, as amended by
 section 69 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is  amended  to
 read as follows:
   2.  Any person now in actual service in the armed forces of the United
 States or whose induction or enlistment therein is imminent,  or  within
 sixty  days  after such person (1) has been honorably discharged, or (2)
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such  service,  if such person has a qualifying condition, as defined in
 section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES
 law, or (3) has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonor-
 able  from such service, if such person is a discharged LGBT veteran, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, if the appellate division of  the  supreme  court  in  the
 department in which such person resides is not in session, may subscribe
 and  take  the  oath before a justice of that court, with the same force
 and effect as if it were taken in open court, except that in  the  first
 department  the  oath  must be taken before the presiding justice or, in
 [his or her] THEIR absence, before the senior justice.
   § 63. Subdivision 1 of section 168 of the labor  law,  as  amended  by
 section  13  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   1. This section shall apply to all persons employed by  the  state  in
 the  ward,  cottage,  colony, kitchen and dining room, and guard service
 personnel in any hospital, school, prison, reformatory or other institu-
 A. 8967                            32
 
 tion within or subject to  the  jurisdiction,  supervision,  control  or
 visitation  of  the department of corrections and community supervision,
 the department of health, the department of mental hygiene, the  depart-
 ment  of social welfare or the department of [veterans' services] VETER-
 ANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, and engaged in the performance of such duties
 as  nursing,  guarding  or  attending  the   incarcerated   individuals,
 patients, wards or other persons kept or housed in such institutions, or
 in  protecting  and guarding the buildings and/or grounds thereof, or in
 preparing or serving food therein.
   § 64. Subdivision 6 of section 224-d of the labor law, as  amended  by
 section  30  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   6. Each owner and  developer  subject  to  the  requirements  of  this
 section shall comply with the objectives and goals of certified minority
 and  women-owned  business  enterprises pursuant to article fifteen-A of
 the executive law and  certified  service-disabled  veteran-owned  busi-
 nesses  pursuant  to  article three of the [veterans' services] VETERANS
 AND MILITARY FAMILIES law.  The  department  in  consultation  with  the
 commissioner  of  the division of minority and women's business develop-
 ment and the director of  the  division  of  service-disabled  veterans'
 business  development  shall  make  training  and resources available to
 assist minority and women-owned business enterprises  and  service-disa-
 bled  veteran-owned  business  enterprises  on  covered renewable energy
 systems to achieve and maintain compliance with prevailing wage require-
 ments. The department shall make such training and  resources  available
 online  and  shall  afford minority and women-owned business enterprises
 and service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises  an  opportunity
 to submit comments on such training.
   §  65.  Paragraph  5  of subdivision (b) of section 5.06 of the mental
 hygiene law, as separately amended by sections 14 and 14-a of part PP of
 chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (5) one member appointed on the recommendation of  the  state  commis-
 sioner  of  the department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES and one member appointed on the recommendation of the  adjutant
 general  of  the division of military and naval affairs, at least one of
 whom shall be a current or former consumer of mental health services  or
 substance  use  disorder  services  who is a veteran who has served in a
 combat theater or combat zone of operations and is a member of a  veter-
 ans organization;
   §  66.  Subdivision  (l) of section 7.09 of the mental hygiene law, as
 separately amended by section 15 of part PP of chapter  56  and  chapter
 363 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (l)  Notwithstanding  any  general or special law to the contrary, the
 commissioner, in conjunction with the  commissioner  of  the  office  of
 addiction  services  and  supports and the director of the department of
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  shall  develop  a
 public education initiative designed to eliminate stigma and misinforma-
 tion  about  mental  illness  and  substance  use among service members,
 veterans, and their families, improve their understanding of mental  and
 substance  use  disorders  and the existence of effective treatment, and
 provide information regarding available  resources  and  how  to  access
 them.  These  public  education  initiatives  may include the use of the
 internet, including the use of social networking sites.
   § 67. Subdivision 3 of section 20 of the military law, as  amended  by
 section  70  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
 A. 8967                            33
 
   3. Any person who has served as a commissioned or warrant  officer  in
 the  organized  militia  or in the armed forces of the United States and
 (a) has been honorably discharged therefrom, or  (b)  has  a  qualifying
 condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETER-
 ANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c)  is  a  discharged
 LGBT  veteran,  as  defined  in  section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than  bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, may be commissioned
 and placed on the state reserve list in  the  highest  grade  previously
 held by [him or her] THEM after complying with such conditions as may be
 prescribed by regulations issued pursuant to this chapter.
   §  68. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subdivision 1 and subparagraphs 1 and
 2 of paragraph (a) of subdivision 4-b of section  243  of  the  military
 law,  as  amended  by section 71 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   (b) The term "military duty" shall mean military service in the  mili-
 tary,  naval, aviation or marine service of the United States subsequent
 to July first, nineteen hundred forty, or service  under  the  selective
 training  and  service  act  of  nineteen hundred forty, or the national
 guard and reserve officers mobilization act of nineteen  hundred  forty,
 or any other act of congress supplementary or amendatory thereto, or any
 similar  act  of congress hereafter enacted and irrespective of the fact
 that such service was entered  upon  following  a  voluntary  enlistment
 therefor or was required under one of the foregoing acts of congress, or
 service  with  the United States public health service as a commissioned
 officer, or service with the American Red Cross  while  with  the  armed
 forces  of  the  United  States  on foreign service, or service with the
 special services section of the armed forces of  the  United  States  on
 foreign  service,  or service in the merchant marine which shall consist
 of service as an officer or member of the crew on or in connection  with
 a  vessel  documented  under  the  laws of the United States or a vessel
 owned by, chartered to, or operated by or for the account or use of  the
 government  of  the United States, or service by one who was employed by
 the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense  Transportation  or
 their  agents  as  a  merchant [seaman] MARINER 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,  nineteen  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  over-
 seas  under  United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world
 war II during the period of armed conflict, December  seventh,  nineteen
 hundred  forty-one  through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and
 who (i) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions,
 or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in  section  one  of  the
 A. 8967                            34
 
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or  (iii)  is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such  service, 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 Trans-
 port Service during the period of armed conflict,  December  fourteenth,
 nineteen  hundred  forty-one through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred
 forty-five, and who (iv) was  discharged  or  released  therefrom  under
 honorable  conditions,  or (v) has a qualifying condition, as defined in
 section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from  such  service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in
 section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from  such  service;  or  service in police duty on behalf of the United
 States government in a foreign country, if such person is a police offi-
 cer, as defined by section 1.20 of the criminal procedure  law,  and  if
 such  police  officer  obtained  the prior consent of [his or her] THEIR
 public employer to absent [himself or herself]  THEMSELF  from  [his  or
 her]  THEIR position to engage in the performance of such service; or as
 an enrollee in the United States maritime service on active duty and, to
 such extent as may be prescribed by or under  the  laws  of  the  United
 States, any period awaiting assignment to such service and any period of
 education  or  training  for  such  service in any school or institution
 under the jurisdiction of the United States government,  but  shall  not
 include  temporary and intermittent gratuitous service in any reserve or
 auxiliary force. It shall  include  time  spent  in  reporting  for  and
 returning  from  military  duty and shall be deemed to commence when the
 public employee leaves [his or her] THEIR position and to end  when  [he
 or  she is] THEY ARE reinstated to [his or her] THEIR position, provided
 such reinstatement is within ninety days after the termination of  mili-
 tary   duty,  as  hereinafter  defined.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing
 provisions of this paragraph, the term "military duty" shall not include
 any of the foregoing services entered upon voluntarily on or after Janu-
 ary first, nineteen hundred forty-seven and  before  June  twenty-fifth,
 nineteen  hundred  fifty;  and, on or after July first, nineteen hundred
 seventy, the term  "military  duty"  shall  not  include  any  voluntary
 service  in excess of four years performed after that date, or the total
 of any voluntary services, additional or otherwise, in  excess  of  four
 years  performed  after  that  date, shall not exceed five years, if the
 service in excess of four years is at the request and  for  the  conven-
 ience  of  the  federal  government, except if such voluntary service is
 performed during a period of war, or national emergency declared by  the
 president.
   (c)  The  term "termination of military duty" shall mean the date of a
 certificate of honorable discharge or a  certificate  of  completion  of
 training  and service as set forth in the selective training and service
 act of nineteen hundred forty, and the national guard and reserve  offi-
 cers  mobilization  act of nineteen hundred forty [or], or a certificate
 of release or discharge from active duty where an  employee  (i)  has  a
 qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in  section  one  of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 A. 8967                            35
 
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (ii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or in the event of the incurrence  of  a  temporary  disability
 arising  out  of  and  in  the course of such military duty, the date of
 termination of such disability. The existence and  termination  of  such
 temporary disability, in the case of a public employee occupying a posi-
 tion  in the classified civil service or of a person on an eligible list
 for a position in such service, shall be determined by the civil service
 commission having jurisdiction over such position and, in the case of  a
 public  employee  occupying  a  position  not  in  the  classified civil
 service, shall be determined by the officer or body having the power  of
 appointment.
   (1)  "New  York  city  veteran of world war II". Any member of the New
 York city employees' retirement system in city-service who,  after  [his
 or  her]  THEIR last membership in such system began, served as a member
 of the armed forces of the United States during the period beginning  on
 December  seventh,  nineteen  hundred  forty-one  and ending on December
 thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred  forty-six,  and  (i)   was   honorably
 discharged  or released under honorable circumstances from such service,
 or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or  (iii)  is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service.
   (2) "New York city veteran of the Korean conflict." Any member of  the
 New  York  city  employees' retirement system in city-service who, after
 [his or her] THEIR last membership in such system  began,  served  as  a
 member of the armed forces of the United States during the period begin-
 ning on the twenty-seventh of June, nineteen hundred fifty and ending on
 the  thirty-first  day  of January, nineteen hundred fifty-five, and (i)
 was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances  from
 such  service, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, or (iii) is a  discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from such service.
   § 69. Section 245 of the military law, as amended  by  section  72  of
 part  PP  of  chapter  56  of  the  laws  of 2022, is amended to read as
 follows:
   § 245. Retirement allowances of certain war veterans. 1. Any member of
 a teachers' retirement system to which the city of New York is  required
 by  law  to  make  contributions on account of such member who (i) is an
 honorably discharged member of any branch of the  armed  forces  of  the
 United States, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than  bad  conduct  or  dishonorable,  or
 (iii)  is  a  discharged  LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other  than  bad conduct or dishonorable, having
 served as such during the time of war and who has attained  the  age  of
 A. 8967                            36
 
 fifty years, may retire upon [his or her] THEIR own request upon written
 application to the board setting forth at what time not less than thirty
 days  subsequent to the execution and filing thereof [he or she desires]
 THEY  DESIRE  to  be  retired,  provided that such member at the time so
 specified for [his or her] THEIR  retirement  shall  have  completed  at
 least  twenty-five  years  of  allowable  service.  Upon retirement such
 member shall receive an annuity of equivalent actuarial value to [his or
 her] THEIR accumulated deductions, and, in addition, a pension beginning
 immediately, having a value equal to the present value  of  the  pension
 that would have become payable had [he or she] THEY continued at [his or
 her]  THEIR  current  salary  to the age at which [he or she] THEY would
 have first become eligible for service  retirement,  provided,  however,
 that the said member on making application for retirement shall pay into
 the  retirement  fund  a  sum  of money which calculated on an actuarial
 basis, together with [his or her] THEIR prior  contributions  and  other
 accumulations  in  said fund then to [his or her] THEIR credit, shall be
 sufficient to entitle the said member to the same  annuity  and  pension
 that  [he or she] THEY would have received had [he or she] THEY remained
 in the service of the city until [he or she] THEY had attained  the  age
 at which [he or she] THEY otherwise would have first become eligible for
 service retirement.
   2.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  this section or of any
 general, special or local law or code to the contrary, a member  of  any
 such  teachers'  retirement  system  who  (i) is separated or discharged
 under honorable conditions from any branch of the armed  forces  of  the
 United States, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than  bad  conduct  or  dishonorable,  or
 (iii)  is  a  discharged  LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other  than  bad conduct or dishonorable, having
 served as such during the time of war and who has attained  the  age  of
 fifty years, may retire upon [his or her] THEIR own request upon written
 application to the board setting forth at what time, not less than thir-
 ty  days  subsequent  to  the  execution  and filing thereof, [he or she
 desires] THEY DESIRE to be retired, provided that such  member  at  that
 time so specified for [his or her] THEIR retirement shall have completed
 at  least  twenty-five years of allowable service. Upon reaching [his or
 her] THEIR previously selected minimum retirement age, such member shall
 receive an annuity of equivalent actuarial value, at that time, to  [his
 or  her] THEIR accumulated deductions, and, in addition, a pension based
 upon [his or her] THEIR credited years of allowable  service,  plus  the
 pension-for-increased-take-home-pay,  if  any.  Should  such  member die
 before reaching [his or her] THEIR retirement age, then any  beneficiary
 under a selected option shall be eligible for benefits under such option
 at  the date upon which the member would have reached [his or her] THEIR
 selected retirement age.
   § 70. Subdivisions 1-b, 1-f, and 1-f of section 247  of  the  military
 law,  subdivision  1-b as amended by section 73 of part PP of chapter 56
 of the laws of 2022, subdivision 1-f as added by chapter 609 of the laws
 of 2023, and subdivision 1-f as amended by chapter 610 of  the  laws  of
 2023, are amended to read as follows:
   1-b.  The adjutant general is hereby authorized to present in the name
 of the legislature of the state of New York, a certificate, to be  known
 as  the  "Cold  War Certificate", bearing a suitable inscription, to any
 person: (i) who is a citizen of the state of New York or (ii) who was  a
 A. 8967                            37

 citizen  of  the  state of New York while serving in the armed forces of
 the United States; (iii) who served in the United  States  Armed  Forces
 during  the  period  of  time  from  September  second, nineteen hundred
 forty-five  through  December twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred ninety-one,
 commonly known  as  the  Cold  War  Era;  and  (iv)  who  was  honorably
 discharged or released under honorable circumstances during the Cold War
 Era,  or  has  a  qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received  a
 discharge  other  than  bad  conduct or dishonorable during the Cold War
 Era, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one  of  the
 [veterans'  services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable  during  the  Cold  War
 Era.  Not  more  than  one  Cold  War  Certificate  shall  be awarded or
 presented, under the provisions of this subdivision, to any person whose
 entire service subsequent to the time of the receipt of such medal shall
 not have been honorable. In the event of the death of any person  during
 or  subsequent  to the receipt of such certificate it shall be presented
 to such representative of the deceased as may be designated.  The  adju-
 tant general, in consultation with the commissioner of the department of
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES, shall make such
 rules and regulations as may be deemed necessary for the proper  presen-
 tation and distribution of the certificate.
   1-f.  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   Iraq   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  in Iraq at any time during the period of March
 twentieth, two thousand three through December thirty-first,  two  thou-
 sand twenty-one; and (iii) who was discharged under honorable conditions
 or  who  has  a  qualifying  condition, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES 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]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law and received a discharge
 other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  discharge.  No  person  shall
 receive  more  than one New York State Iraq 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]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES,  shall make such rules and
 regulations as may be deemed necessary for the proper  presentation  and
 distribution of such medals.
   1-f.  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  Afghanistan  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 in Afghanistan at any time during the period
 from October seventh, two thousand one  through  August  thirtieth,  two
 thousand twenty-one; and (iii) who was discharged under honorable condi-
 A. 8967                            38
 
 tions  or  who  has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of
 the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  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] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and received  a
 discharge  other  than  bad conduct or dishonorable discharge. No person
 shall receive more than one New York State Afghanistan 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]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES, shall make such
 rules and regulations as may be deemed necessary for the proper  presen-
 tation and distribution of such medals.
   §  71.  Section  249  of the military law, as amended by section 74 of
 part PP of chapter 56 of the  laws  of  2022,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   § 249. State  and  municipal  officers and employees granted leaves of
 absence on July fourth in certain cases. Each officer  and  employee  of
 the state or of a municipal corporation or of any other political subdi-
 vision  thereof  who was a member of the national guard or naval militia
 or a member of the reserve corps at a time when the  United  States  was
 not  at war and who (i) has been honorably discharged therefrom, or (ii)
 has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service,  or
 (iii)  is  a  discharged  LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, shall, in so far as practicable, be entitled to absent [himself
 or herself] THEMSELF from duties or service, with pay, on July fourth of
 each year. Notwithstanding the provisions of  any  general,  special  or
 local  law  or  the  provisions  of any city charter, no such officer or
 employee shall be subjected by any person whatever directly or indirect-
 ly by reason of such absence to any loss or diminution  of  vacation  or
 holiday privilege or be prejudiced by reason of such absence with refer-
 ence  to  promotion  or  continuance in office or employment or to reap-
 pointment to office or to re-employment.
   § 72. Section 256 of the military law, as added by chapter 625 of  the
 laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   §  256.  State  military  immigrant family legacy program support. The
 adjutant general shall encourage the development of and provide for  the
 establishment  of a state military immigrant family legacy program liai-
 son, as provided in section twenty-nine-b of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law.
   § 73. Subdivision (g) of section 202 of the not-for-profit corporation
 law,  as  amended  by section 16 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (g) Every corporation receiving any kind of state funding shall ensure
 the provision on any form required to be  completed  at  application  or
 recertification for the purpose of obtaining financial assistance pursu-
 ant to this chapter, that the application form shall contain a check-off
 question  asking  whether the applicant or recipient or a member of [his
 or her] THEIR family served in the United States military, and an option
 to answer in the affirmative. Where the applicant or  recipient  answers
 in  the  affirmative  to  such  question, the not-for-profit corporation
 A. 8967                            39
 
 shall ensure that  contact  information  for  the  state  department  of
 [veterans'  services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES is provided to such
 applicant or recipient in addition to any other materials provided.
   §  74.  Subdivision  (b)  of section 1401 of the not-for-profit corpo-
 ration law, as amended by section 17 of part PP of  chapter  56  of  the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (b)  Removal  of  remains from private cemeteries to other cemeteries.
 The supervisor of any town containing a private cemetery may remove  any
 body interred in such cemetery to any other cemetery within the town, if
 the  owners  of  such  cemeteries  and  the  next of kin of the deceased
 consent to such removal. The owners of a private cemetery may remove the
 bodies interred therein to any other cemetery within such  town,  or  to
 any  cemetery  designated  by the next of kin of the deceased. Notice of
 such removal shall be given  within  twenty  days  before  such  removal
 personally  or  by  certified mail to the next of kin of the deceased if
 known and to the clerk and historian of the county in  which  such  real
 property  is  situated  and  notice shall be given to the New York state
 department of state, division of cemeteries. If any of the deceased  are
 known  to  be  veterans,  the owners shall also notify the department of
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES.  In the absence  of
 the next of kin, the county clerk, county historian or the department of
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES may act as a guardi-
 an to ensure proper reburial.
   §  75.  Subdivision  2  of  section 13.19 of the parks, recreation and
 historic preservation law, as amended by chapter  103  of  the  laws  of
 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  For  the purposes of this section (a) "veteran" shall mean a resi-
 dent of this state who is: (i) a veteran as  such  term  is  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law; or (ii) a person who has served on active duty for the state  as  a
 member  of the state organized militia as defined in subdivision nine of
 section one of the military law and who was discharged or released ther-
 efrom under conditions other than dishonorable; or (iii)  a  person  who
 has served on active duty in the uniformed services of the United States
 or on active duty for the state as a member of the organized militia and
 has  a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of  the  [veter-
 ans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service; and
   (b) "member of a Gold Star family" shall mean a resident of this state
 who is a gold star parent  as  defined  in  section  twenty-six  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, the spouse or
 domestic partner, or the biological,  step,  or  legally  adopted  minor
 child of a veteran whose death qualified the parent for an annuity.
   § 76. Subparagraph 2 of paragraph b of subdivision 1 of section 156 of
 the  public  housing law, as amended by section 75 of part PP of chapter
 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (2) (i) have been thereafter discharged or  released  therefrom  under
 conditions other than dishonorable, or (ii) have a qualifying condition,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES law, and have received a discharge other than bad conduct
 or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) are discharged  LGBT  veter-
 ans,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY FAMILIES law, and have received  a  discharge  other  than  bad
 A. 8967                            40
 
 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iv) died in such service,
 not  more than five years prior to the time of application for admission
 to such project, and
   § 77. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subdivision 1 of section 2509-d of the
 public  health  law,  as  added  by  chapter 623 of the laws of 2024, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (b) "Women veterans coordinator" shall mean the women veterans coordi-
 nator appointed pursuant to section nineteen of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law.
   (c) "Veteran" shall have the same meaning as such term is  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law and shall also include a veteran who has a qualifying condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or is  a  discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service.
   § 78. Subdivision (i) of section 2522 of the  public  health  law,  as
 added by chapter 623 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   (i)  promotion  of  training and continuing medical education opportu-
 nities in military cultural competency for providers of prenatal care to
 veterans. For purposes of this subdivision,  the  term  "veteran"  shall
 have  the  same  meaning  as  such term is defined in section one of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law and  shall  also
 include  a veteran who has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one
 of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service.
   § 79. The opening paragraph and paragraph  (d)  of  subdivision  1  of
 section  2632 of the public health law, as amended by section 76 of part
 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   Every veteran of the armed forces of the United States,  who  (i)  (A)
 was  separated or discharged under honorable conditions after serving on
 active duty therein for a period of not less than thirty  days,  or  (B)
 has  a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
 duty  therein  for  a  period  of not less than thirty days, or (C) is a
 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
 duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days, or (ii) (A)  was
 separated  or  discharged  under  honorable  conditions after serving on
 active duty therein for a period of not less than thirty days or (B) has
 a qualifying condition, as defined in  section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
 duty therein for a period of not less than thirty  days,  or  (C)  is  a
 discharged  LGBT  veteran,  as  defined in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active
 duty  therein  for  a period of not less than thirty days, and who was a
 A. 8967                            41
 
 recipient of the armed forces expeditionary  medal,  navy  expeditionary
 medal  or  marine  corps  expeditionary medal for participation in oper-
 ations 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)  (A)  was  separated  or
 discharged under honorable conditions after serving on active duty ther-
 ein  for  a  period of not less than thirty days or (B) has a qualifying
 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETER-
 ANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable after serving on active duty therein  for  a
 period  of not less than thirty days, or (C) is a discharged LGBT veter-
 an, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETERANS  AND
 MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable after serving on active duty therein for a peri-
 od of not less than thirty days, and who served  during  the  period  of
 actual hostilities of either
   (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]  MARINER
 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,  nineteen  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 ocean-
 going  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 Amer-
 ican Field Service and served overseas under United  States  Armies  and
 United  States  Army  Groups  in world war II during the period of armed
 conflict, December  seventh,  nineteen  hundred  forty-one  through  May
 eighth,  nineteen  hundred  forty-five,  and  who  (i) was discharged or
 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a  qualifying
 condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETER-
 ANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge  other  than
 bad  conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, 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  affil-
 iates  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
 A. 8967                            42
 
 through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (iv) was
 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v)  has
 a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in section one of the [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service,  or
 (vi)  is  a  discharged  LGBT  veteran, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service; or
   § 80. Subdivision 5 of section 2805-b of the  public  health  law,  as
 amended  by  section 77 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   5. The staff of a general hospital shall: (a) inquire whether  or  not
 the  person  admitted has served in the United States armed forces. Such
 information shall be listed on  the  admissions  form;  (b)  notify  any
 admittee  who is a veteran of the possible availability of services at a
 hospital operated by the United States veterans  health  administration,
 and,  upon  request  by the admittee, such staff shall make arrangements
 for the individual's transfer to a United States veterans health  admin-
 istration  hospital,  provided, however, that transfers shall be author-
 ized only after it has been determined, according to  accepted  clinical
 and  medical  standards, that the patient's condition has stabilized and
 transfer can be accomplished safely and without  complication;  and  (c)
 provide  any  admittee  who has served in the United States armed forces
 with a copy of the "Information  for  Veterans  concerning  Health  Care
 Options"   fact  sheet,  maintained  by  the  department  of  [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES pursuant to  subdivision  twen-
 ty-nine  of  section four of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES law prior to discharging or transferring the patient.  The
 commissioner  shall  promulgate rules and regulations for notifying such
 admittees of possible available services and for arranging  a  requested
 transfer.
   §  81.  Subdivision  2  of section 2805-o of the public health law, as
 amended by section 78 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of  2022,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   2.  Every  nursing  home,  residential  health care facility and every
 adult care facility licensed and certified by the department pursuant to
 title two of article seven of the social services law or article  forty-
 six-B  of  this  chapter,  including  all  adult homes, enriched housing
 programs, residences for adults, assisted living programs, and  assisted
 living  residences  shall  in writing advise all individuals identifying
 themselves as veterans or spouses of veterans  that  the  department  of
 [veterans'  services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES and local veterans'
 service agencies established pursuant to section fourteen of the [veter-
 ans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law to provide  assistance
 to veterans and their spouses regarding benefits under federal and state
 law.  Such written information shall include the name, address and tele-
 phone number of the New York state department  of  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES,  the nearest department of [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES office, the nearest  county  or
 city  veterans'  service  agency  and  the  nearest accredited veterans'
 service officer.
   § 82. Subdivision 3 of section 3422  of  the  public  health  law,  as
 amended  by  section 79 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
 A. 8967                            43
 
   3. A candidate who fails to attain a passing grade  on  [his  or  her]
 THEIR  licensing examination is entitled to a maximum of three re-exami-
 nations; provided, however, that if such candidate  fails  to  attain  a
 passing  grade within three years after completion of [his or her] THEIR
 training,  [he  or  she]  THEY  must  requalify  in  accordance with the
 provisions of the public health law and rules and regulations promulgat-
 ed thereunder existing and in force as of the date of subsequent  appli-
 cation for licensing examination, except that a satisfactorily completed
 required  course  of study need not be recompleted. A candidate inducted
 into the armed forces of the United States during or after completion of
 training may (a) after honorable discharge  or  (b)  after  a  discharge
 other  than  bad  conduct  or dishonorable where the candidate (i) has a
 qualifying condition, as  defined  in  section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, or (ii) is a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  upon proper application as
 required by the department be eligible for an exemption with respect  to
 time served in such service.
   §  83.  Subdivision  2  of  section  3802 of the public health law, as
 amended by section 18 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of  2022,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   2. In the exercise of the foregoing powers and duties the commissioner
 shall  consult  with  the  commissioner  of the department of [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES and the heads of state agencies
 charged  with  responsibility  for  [manpower]  WORKFORCE   and   health
 resources.
   §  84.  Subdivision  3  of  section  3803 of the public health law, as
 amended by section 19 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of  2022,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   3.  In exercising any of [his or her] THEIR powers under this section,
 the commissioner shall consult  with  appropriate  health  care  profes-
 sionals,  providers,  veterans  or  organizations representing them, the
 department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY  FAMILIES,  the
 United  States  department  of  veterans  affairs  and the United States
 defense department.
   § 85. Section 63 of the public officers law, as amended by section  80
 of  part  PP  of  chapter  56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as
 follows:
   § 63. Leave of absence for veterans on Memorial day and Veterans' day.
 It shall be the duty of the head of every public department and of every
 court of the state of New York, of  every  superintendent  or  [foreman]
 FOREPERSON  on the public works of said state, of the county officers of
 the several counties of said state, of the town officers of the  various
 towns  in  this state, of the fire district officers of the various fire
 districts in this state, and of the head of every department, bureau and
 office in the government of the various  cities  and  villages  in  this
 state,  and the officers of any public benefit corporation or any public
 authority of this state, or of any public benefit corporation or  public
 authority  of  any county or subdivision of this state, to give leave of
 absence with pay for twenty-four hours on the day prescribed by law as a
 public holiday for the observance of Memorial day and  on  the  eleventh
 day  of November, known as Veterans' day, to every person in the service
 of the state, the county, the town,  the  fire  district,  the  city  or
 village,  the  public  benefit  corporation  or public authority of this
 state, or any public benefit corporation  or  public  authority  of  any
 county  or subdivision of this state, as the case may be, (i) who served
 A. 8967                            44
 
 on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during world war
 I or world war II, or who was employed  by  the  War  Shipping  Adminis-
 tration  or  Office  of  Defense  Transportation  or  their  agents as a
 merchant [seaman] MARINER 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 peri-
 od of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred  forty-one,  to
 August  fifteenth,  nineteen 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 ocean-
 going 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 Amer-
 ican  Field  Service  and served overseas under United States Armies and
 United States Army Groups in world war II during  the  period  of  armed
 conflict,  December  seventh,  nineteen  hundred  forty-one  through May
 eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five,  and  who  (a)  was  discharged  or
 released  therefrom  under honorable conditions, or (b) has a qualifying
 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETER-
 ANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c)  is  a  discharged
 LGBT  veteran,  as  defined  in  section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than  bad  conduct  or dishonorable from such service 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 affil-
 iates 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, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (d) was
 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (e)  has
 a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (f) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as  defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service  or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time between
 the dates of June twenty-seventh, nineteen  hundred  fifty  and  January
 thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the
 Vietnam conflict from  the  first  day  of  November,  nineteen  hundred
 fifty-five  to the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or
 (ii) who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United  States
 and  who  was  a recipient of the armed forces expeditionary medal, navy
 expeditionary medal or marine  corps  expeditionary  medal  for  partic-
 ipation  in  operations  in  Lebanon  from  June first, nineteen hundred
 eighty-three to December first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven, in Grena-
 da 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,  nine-
 teen  hundred  ninety,  or  (iii)  who  served  in the armed forces of a
 A. 8967                            45
 
 foreign country allied with the United States  during  world  war  I  or
 world  war  II,  or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time
 between June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty and January  thirty-
 first,  nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the Vietnam
 conflict from the first day of November, nineteen hundred fifty-five  to
 the  seventh  day  of  May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or during the
 period of the Persian Gulf conflict from the second day of August, nine-
 teen hundred ninety to the end of such conflict, or who served on active
 duty in the army or navy or marine corps or air force or coast guard  of
 the  United  States,  and  who (a) was honorably discharged or separated
 from such service under honorable conditions, or (b)  has  a  qualifying
 condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETER-
 ANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge  other  than
 bad  conduct  or  dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such  service  except  where  such
 action  would  endanger  the  public  safety  or the safety or health of
 persons cared for by the state, in which event  such  persons  shall  be
 entitled  to  leave  of absence with pay on another day in lieu thereof.
 All such persons who are compensated on a per diem, hourly, semi-monthly
 or monthly basis, with or without maintenance, shall also be entitled to
 leave of absence with pay under the provisions of this  section  and  no
 deduction in vacation allowance or budgetary allowable number of working
 days  shall  be  made  in  lieu thereof. A refusal to give such leave of
 absence to one entitled thereto shall be neglect of duty.
   § 86. Subdivision 3 of section 1271 of  the  private  housing  finance
 law,  as  amended  by section 81 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   3. "Veteran" shall mean a veteran as defined in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  or  is a
 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, who is a resident of the
 state and has received a discharge other than bad conduct  or  dishonor-
 able from such service.
   §  87.  Subdivisions 2 and 4-a of section 458 of the real property tax
 law, as amended by section 82 of part PP of chapter 56 of  the  laws  of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   2.   Real   property   purchased  with  moneys  collected  by  popular
 subscription in partial recognition of extraordinary  services  rendered
 by  any  veteran  of world war one, world war two, or of the hostilities
 which commenced June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty, who (a) was
 honorably discharged from such service, or (b) has a  qualifying  condi-
 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (c) is a  discharged  LGBT
 veteran,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS
 AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad
 conduct  or  dishonorable from such service, and who sustained permanent
 disability while on military duty, either total or partial, and owned by
 the person who sustained such injuries, or by [his or her] THEIR  spouse
 or unremarried surviving spouse, or dependent [father or mother] PARENT,
 is  subject  to  taxation  as  herein  provided.  Such property shall be
 assessed in the same manner as other real property in the tax  district.
 At  the  meeting  of  the  assessors  to  hear complaints concerning the
 assessments, a verified application for the exemption of such real prop-
 A. 8967                            46
 
 erty from taxation may be presented to them by or on behalf of the owner
 thereof, which application must show the facts on which the exemption is
 claimed, including the amount of moneys so raised and used in or  toward
 the  purchase of such property. No exemption on account of any such gift
 shall be allowed in excess of five thousand dollars. The application for
 exemption shall be presented and action  thereon  taken  in  the  manner
 provided  by  subdivision  one  of  this  section. If no application for
 exemption be granted, the property shall be subject to taxation for  all
 purposes.   The  provisions  herein,  relating  to  the  assessment  and
 exemption  of  property  purchased  with  moneys   raised   by   popular
 subscription,  apply and shall be enforced in each municipal corporation
 authorized to levy taxes.
   4-a. For the purposes of this section, the  term  "military  or  naval
 services"  shall  be deemed to also include service: (a) by a person who
 was employed by the War Shipping Administration  or  Office  of  Defense
 Transportation or their agents as a merchant [seaman] MARINER 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;
 (b)  service  by a United States civilian employed by the American Field
 Service who 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 (i) was  discharged  or  released  therefrom
 under  honorable  conditions,  or  (ii)  has  a qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable  from  such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran,
 as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than  bad  conduct
 or  dishonorable  from  such  service; or (c) service by a United States
 civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan  Ameri-
 can  World  Airways  or  one  of  its subsidiaries or its affiliates who
 served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with  Air  Trans-
 port  Command  or Naval Air Transport Service during the period of armed
 conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August
 fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (i) was  discharged  or
 released  therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying
 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETER-
 ANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a  discharged
 LGBT  veteran,  as  defined  in  section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
 A. 8967                            47
 
   §  88.  Paragraph  (e)  of  subdivision 1 and subdivisions 9 and 10 of
 section 458-a of the real property tax law, paragraph (e) of subdivision
 1 as amended by chapter 611 of the laws of 2023 and subdivisions  9  and
 10  as  amended  by  section  83 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   (e)  "Veteran"  means  a person (i) who served in the active military,
 naval, or air service during a period of war, or who was a recipient  of
 the  armed  forces expeditionary medal, navy expeditionary medal, marine
 corps expeditionary medal, or  global  war  on  terrorism  expeditionary
 medal,  and who (1) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable
 conditions, or (2) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one
 of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one
 of  the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  (ii)  who  was  employed by the War Shipping Administration or
 Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a merchant  [seaman]
 MARINER  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 Trans-
 portation 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,  nineteen  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 ocean-
 going  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, (iii) 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, December  seventh,  nineteen  hundred  forty-one  through  May
 eighth,  nineteen  hundred  forty-five,  and  who  (1) was discharged or
 released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (2) has  a  qualifying
 condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETER-
 ANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge  other  than
 bad  conduct  or  dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, (iv) 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 affil-
 iates 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, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (1) was
 discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (2)  has
 a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as  defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 A. 8967                            48
 
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service, (v) notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
 who  are  members  of  the reserve components of the armed forces of the
 United  States who (1) received an honorable discharge or release there-
 from under honorable conditions, or (2) has a qualifying  condition,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran,  as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a discharge other than bad conduct or
 dishonorable from such service, but are still  members  of  the  reserve
 components  of  the armed forces of the United States provided that such
 members meet all other  qualifications  under  the  provisions  of  this
 section,  or  (vi)  who  shall  be considered to have been discharged or
 released from active military service of the United States under  honor-
 able  conditions  if:  (1)  the individual served in the active military
 service of the United States for the period of time such individual  was
 obligated to serve at the time of entry into service; (2) the individual
 was not discharged or released from such service at the time of complet-
 ing  such period of obligation due to an intervening enlistment or reen-
 listment; (3) the individual would have been eligible for a discharge or
 release under conditions other than dishonorable at such time except for
 such intervening enlistment or  reenlistment;  and  (4)  the  individual
 served  in the active military service of the United States for a period
 of at least ten years, provided that such  individual  meets  all  other
 qualifications under the provisions of this section.
   9. The commissioner shall develop in consultation with the commission-
 er of the New York state department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY  FAMILIES a listing of documents to be used to establish eligi-
 bility under this section, including but not limited to a certificate of
 release or discharge from active duty also known as a DD-214 form or  an
 Honorable  Service Certificate/Report of Casualty from the department of
 defense.  Such information shall be made available to each county, city,
 town or village assessor's office, or congressional  chartered  veterans
 service officers who request such information. The listing of acceptable
 military records shall be made available on the internet websites of the
 department  of  [veterans'  services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES and
 the office of real property tax services.
   10. A county, city, town, village or school district may adopt a local
 law or resolution to include those military personnel who served in  the
 Reserve  component of the United States Armed Forces that were deemed on
 active duty under Executive Order 11519 signed March twenty-third, nine-
 teen hundred seventy, 35 Federal  Register  5003,  dated  March  twenty-
 fourth,  nineteen  hundred  seventy  and  later designated by the United
 States Department of Defense as Operation Graphic Hand, if  such  member
 (1)  was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or
 (2) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veter-
 ans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as  defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  provided  that  such veteran meets all other qualifications of
 this section.
 A. 8967                            49
 
   § 89. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1  and  subdivision  8  of  section
 458-b  of the real property tax law, as amended by section 84 of part PP
 of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   (a) "Cold War veteran" means a person[, male or female,] who served on
 active  duty  in  the United States armed forces, during the time period
 from September second, nineteen hundred forty-five to  December  twenty-
 sixth,  nineteen  hundred ninety-one, and (i) was discharged or released
 therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has  a  qualifying  condi-
 tion, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT
 veteran, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETERANS
 AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than bad
 conduct or dishonorable from such service.
   8. The commissioner shall develop in consultation with the commission-
 er of the New York state department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND
 MILITARY FAMILIES a listing of documents to be used to establish  eligi-
 bility under this section, including but not limited to a certificate of
 release  or discharge from active duty also known as a DD-214 form or an
 Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty from the department  of
 defense.  Such information shall be made available to each county, city,
 town  or  village assessor's office, or congressional chartered veterans
 service officers who request such information. The listing of acceptable
 military records shall be made available on the internet websites of the
 department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  and
 the office of real property tax services.
   §  90.  Paragraph  (j)  of  subdivision  3 of section 20 of the social
 services law, as amended by section 20 of part PP of chapter 56  of  the
 laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (j)  to  ensure the provision, on any form required to be completed at
 application or recertification for the purpose  of  obtaining  financial
 assistance  pursuant to this chapter, the form shall contain a check-off
 question asking whether the applicant or recipient or a member  of  [his
 or her] THEIR family served in the United States military, and an option
 to  answer  in the affirmative. Where the applicant or recipient answers
 in the affirmative to such question, the office of temporary  and  disa-
 bility  assistance  shall  ensure that contact information for the state
 department of [veterans' services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  is
 provided to such applicant or recipient IN addition to any other materi-
 als provided.
   §  91.  Subparagraph  (v) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section
 122 of the social services law, as separately amended by section  85  of
 part PP of chapter 56 and chapter 669 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   (v)  any  noncitizen  lawfully  residing in the state who is on active
 duty in the armed forces (other than active duty for  training)  or  who
 (1)  has received an honorable discharge (and not on account of nonciti-
 zen status) from the armed forces, or (2) has a qualifying condition, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable  (and  not  on account of noncitizen status) from the armed
 forces, or (3) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in  section  one
 of  the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable (and not  on
 account  of  noncitizen  status)  from  the armed forces, or the spouse,
 unremarried surviving spouse or unmarried dependent child  of  any  such
 A. 8967                            50
 
 noncitizen, if such noncitizen, spouse or dependent child is a qualified
 alien  as  defined in section 431 of the federal personal responsibility
 and work opportunity reconciliation act of 1996 (8 U.S. Code  1641),  as
 amended;
   §  92.  Subdivision  1  of  section 168 of the social services law, as
 amended by chapter 445 of the laws  of  2024,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   1.  Veteran  means  a person who has served in the armed forces of the
 United States or who was a recipient of the armed  forces  expeditionary
 medal,  navy expeditionary 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 Grena-
 da 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,  nine-
 teen  hundred  ninety,  and  who  (a)  has  been honorably discharged or
 released under honorable circumstances from such service  or  furloughed
 to the reserve, or (b) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such service.
   §  93.  Subdivisions 3 and 4 of section 95-f of the state finance law,
 as amended by section 21 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws  of  2022,
 are amended to read as follows:
   3. Monies of the fund shall be expended for the provision of veterans'
 counseling  services provided by local veterans' service agencies pursu-
 ant to section fourteen of the [veterans' services] VETERANS  AND  MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES  law  under the direction of the department of [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES.
   4. To the extent practicable, the commissioner of  the  department  of
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES shall ensure that
 all monies received during a fiscal year are expended prior to  the  end
 of that fiscal year.
   §  94.  The  opening paragraph of subdivision 2-a and subdivision 5 of
 section 97-mmmm of the state finance law, as amended by  section  22  of
 part  PP  of  chapter  56  of  the  laws of 2022, are amended to read as
 follows:
   On or before the first day of February each year, the commissioner  of
 the New York state department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY  FAMILIES shall provide a written report to the temporary president
 of the senate, speaker of the assembly,  chair  of  the  senate  finance
 committee,  chair of the assembly ways and means committee, chair of the
 senate committee on veterans, homeland security  and  military  affairs,
 chair of the assembly veterans' affairs committee, the state comptroller
 and  the  public.  Such  report shall include how the monies of the fund
 were utilized during the preceding calendar year, and shall include:
   5. Moneys shall be payable from the fund on the audit and  warrant  of
 the  comptroller  on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner
 of  the  department  of  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND   MILITARY
 FAMILIES.
   §  95.  The  opening paragraph of subdivision 2-a and subdivision 4 of
 section 99-v of the state finance law, as amended by section 23 of  part
 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
 A. 8967                            51
 
   On  or before the first day of February each year, the commissioner of
 the New York state department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES shall provide a written report to the temporary  president
 of  the  senate,  speaker  of  the assembly, chair of the senate finance
 committee,  chair of the assembly ways and means committee, chair of the
 senate committee on veterans, homeland security  and  military  affairs,
 chair of the assembly veterans' affairs committee, the state comptroller
 and  the  public.  Such  report shall include how the monies of the fund
 were utilized during the preceding calendar year, and shall include:
   4. Moneys of the fund shall be expended only for  the  assistance  and
 care  of homeless veterans, for housing and housing-related expenses, as
 determined by the department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILI-
 TARY FAMILIES.
   §  96.  Subdivision  1  of  section  143  of the state finance law, as
 amended by section 27 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of  2022,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   1.  Notwithstanding  any  inconsistent  provision  of  any  general or
 special law, the board, division, department, bureau, agency, officer or
 commission of the state charged with the duty  of  preparing  plans  and
 specifications  for  and  awarding  or  entering  into contracts for the
 performance of public work may require the payment of  a  fixed  sum  of
 money,  not  exceeding  one hundred dollars, for each copy of such plans
 and specifications, by persons or corporations desiring a copy  thereof.
 Any  person  or corporation desiring a copy of such plans and specifica-
 tions and making the deposit required by this section shall be furnished
 with one copy of the plans and specifications. Notwithstanding the fore-
 going, where payment is required it shall  be  waived  upon  request  by
 minority-  and  women-owned  business  enterprises certified pursuant to
 article fifteen-A of the executive law or by  service-disabled  veteran-
 owned  business  enterprises  certified pursuant to article three of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES  law.  Such  payment
 may also be waived when such plans and specifications are made available
 and  obtained  electronically  or  in any non-paper form from the board,
 division, department, bureau,  agency,  officer  or  commission  of  the
 state.
   §  97.  Paragraph  j of subdivision 1, paragraph (d) of subdivision 6,
 and subdivision 6-d of section 163 of the state finance law, paragraph j
 of subdivision 1 and subdivision 6-d as amended by section 28 of part PP
 of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022 and paragraph (d) of subdivision 6  as
 amended  by  chapter  110  of  the  laws of 2024, are amended to read as
 follows:
   j. "Best value" means the basis for awarding contracts for services to
 the offerer which optimizes quality, cost and efficiency, among  respon-
 sive and responsible offerers. Such basis shall reflect, wherever possi-
 ble, objective and quantifiable analysis. Such basis may also identify a
 quantitative  factor  for  offerers that are small businesses, certified
 minority- or women-owned business enterprises as defined in subdivisions
 one, seven, fifteen and twenty of section three hundred ten of the exec-
 utive law or  service-disabled  veteran-owned  business  enterprises  as
 defined  in subdivision one of section forty of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law to be used in  evaluation  of  offers
 for awarding of contracts for services.
   (d)  state  agencies  may  purchase commodities or services from those
 certified pursuant to article fifteen-A of the executive law and article
 three of the [veterans' service] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES  law  in
 A. 8967                            52
 
 an  amount  not exceeding seven hundred fifty thousand dollars without a
 formal competitive process; and
   6-d.  Pursuant  to  the  authority provided in subdivision six of this
 section, state agencies shall report annually on a fiscal year basis  by
 July first of the ensuing year to the director of the division of minor-
 ity  and  women-owned  business  development  the total number and total
 value of contracts awarded to businesses certified pursuant  to  article
 fifteen-A of the executive law, and with respect to contracts awarded to
 businesses  certified  pursuant  to  article  three  of  the  [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law such information  shall  be
 reported  to  the  division  of  service-disabled veteran-owned business
 enterprises for inclusion in their respective annual reports.
   § 98. Subdivision 26 of section 213  of  the  state  finance  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  409  of  the  laws  of 2023, is amended to read as
 follows:
   26. "Certified  service-disabled  veteran-owned  business  enterprise"
 means any service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprise as provided
 for  in  article three of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law.
   § 99. Subdivision 3 of section 103-a of the state technology  law,  as
 amended  by  section 31 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   3. The director shall  conduct  an  outreach  campaign  informing  the
 public  of  the  iCenter and shall conduct specific outreach to minority
 and women-owned  business  enterprises  certified  pursuant  to  article
 fifteen-A of the executive law, small businesses as such term is defined
 in  section  one hundred thirty-one of the economic development law, and
 service disabled veteran owned business enterprises  certified  pursuant
 to article three of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMI-
 LIES law to inform such businesses of iCenter initiatives.
   §  100.  Subparagraph  1 of paragraph (b) of subdivision 29 of section
 210-B of the tax law, as separately amended by section 87 of part PP  of
 chapter 56 and section 1 of part H of chapter 59 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (1)  who  served  on  active duty in the United States army, navy, air
 force, space force, marine corps, coast guard or the  reserves  thereof,
 or  who  served  in  active  military  service of the United States as a
 member of the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard or
 New York naval militia, or who served in the active  uniformed  services
 of  the  United  States  as  a  member  of the commissioned corps of the
 national oceanic and  atmospheric  administration  or  the  commissioned
 corps  of  the United States public health service; who (i) was released
 from such service, or (ii) has a qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from such service;
   § 101. Subparagraph (A) of paragraph 2 of subsection (a-2) of  section
 606  of  the  tax law, as separately amended by section 88 of part PP of
 chapter 56 and section 2 of part H of chapter 59 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (A) who served on active duty in the United  States  army,  navy,  air
 force,  space  force, marine corps, coast guard or the reserves thereof,
 or who served in active military service  of  the  United  States  as  a
 A. 8967                            53
 
 member of the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard or
 New  York  naval militia, or who served in the active uniformed services
 of the United States as a  member  of  the  commissioned  corps  of  the
 national  oceanic  and  atmospheric  administration  or the commissioned
 corps of the United States public health service; who (i)  was  released
 from active duty by general or honorable discharge, or (ii) has a quali-
 fying  condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than  bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from  such  service, or (iii) is a
 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service;
   § 102. Paragraph 18-a of subdivision (a) of section 1115  of  the  tax
 law,  as  amended  by section 89 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (18-a) Tangible personal property manufactured and sold by a  veteran,
 as  defined  in  section twenty-two of the [veterans' services] VETERANS
 AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, for the benefit of a veteran's service organ-
 ization, provided that such person or any member of [his or  her]  THEIR
 household  does  not  conduct a trade or business in which similar items
 are sold, the first two thousand five hundred dollars of  receipts  from
 such sales in a calendar year.
   § 103. Subparagraph (A) of paragraph 2 of subdivision (g-1) of section
 1511  of  the tax law, as separately amended by section 90 of part PP of
 chapter 56 and section 3 of part H of chapter 59 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (A) who served on active duty in the United  States  army,  navy,  air
 force,  space  force, marine corps, coast guard or the reserves thereof,
 or who served in active military service  of  the  United  States  as  a
 member of the army national guard, air national guard, New York guard or
 New  York  naval militia, or who served in the active uniformed services
 of the United States as a  member  of  the  commissioned  corps  of  the
 national  oceanic  and  atmospheric  administration  or the commissioned
 corps of the United States public health service; who (i)  was  released
 from active duty by general or honorable discharge, or (ii) has a quali-
 fying  condition,  as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than  bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from  such  service, or (iii) is a
 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'
 services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received a
 discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service;
   § 104. Section 295 of the town law, as amended by section 91  of  part
 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   §  295. Removal of remains of deceased members of armed forces. Upon a
 verified petition presented to a judge of a court of record by any armed
 forces' organization in any town or city in this state by a majority  of
 its  officers,  or  a  majority of any memorial committee in any town or
 city where there are two or more veteran armed forces' organizations, or
 in towns or cities where there are no veteran  armed  forces'  organiza-
 tions,  upon  the petition of five or more veterans of the armed forces,
 the judge to whom said verified petition  is  presented  shall  make  an
 order  to  show cause, returnable before [him or her] THEM at a time and
 place within the county in not less than fourteen or  more  than  twenty
 days  from the date of presentation of said petition, why the remains of
 any deceased members of the armed forces buried in potter's field, or in
 any neglected or abandoned cemeteries, should  not  be  removed  to  and
 A. 8967                            54
 
 reinterred  in a properly kept incorporated cemetery in the same town or
 city or in a town adjoining the town or city in which the remains  of  a
 deceased member of the armed forces are buried, and to fix the amount of
 the  expenses  for  such  removal and reinterment, and the order to show
 cause shall provide for its publication in a newspaper, to be designated
 in the order, which is published nearest to the cemetery from which  the
 removal  is  sought  to  be  made,  once in each week for two successive
 weeks. The verified petition presented to the judge shall show that  the
 petitioners  are  a  majority  of the officers of a veteran armed forces
 organization, or a majority of a memorial committee in towns  or  cities
 where  two or more veteran armed forces organizations exist, or that the
 petitioners are honorably discharged veterans of  the  armed  forces  in
 towns  or  cities  where no veteran armed forces organization exists, or
 that the petitioners have a qualifying condition, as defined in  section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service  and are in towns or cities where no veteran armed forces organ-
 izations exist, or that the petitioners are discharged LGBT veterans, as
 defined in section one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY
 FAMILIES law, and  received  a  discharge  other  than  bad  conduct  or
 dishonorable  from  such  service  and  are in towns and cities where no
 veteran armed forces organizations  exist,  and  (1)  the  name  of  the
 deceased member or members of the armed forces, whose remains are sought
 to  be removed, and if known the unit in which [he, she or] they served;
 (2) the name and location of the cemetery in which [he or she  is]  THEY
 ARE  interred  and  from which removal is asked to be made; (3) the name
 and location of the incorporated  cemetery  to  which  the  remains  are
 desired  to be removed and reinterred; (4) the facts showing the reasons
 for such removal. Upon the return day of the order to show cause and  at
 the time and place fixed in said order, upon filing proof of publication
 of the order to show cause with the judge, if no objection is made ther-
 eto,  [he  or she] THEY shall make an order directing the removal of the
 remains of said deceased member or members of the armed  forces  to  the
 cemetery  designated in the petition within the town or city or within a
 town adjoining the town or city in which the remains are then buried and
 shall specify in the order the amount of the expenses of  such  removal,
 which  expenses of removal and reinterment, including the expense of the
 proceeding under this section, shall be a  charge  upon  the  county  in
 which  the  town  or city is situated from which the removal is made and
 such expenses shall be a county charge  and  audited  by  the  board  of
 supervisors  of  the  county and paid in the same manner as other county
 charges. On and after the removal and reinterment of the remains of  the
 deceased  member  or  members  of  the armed forces in the armed forces'
 plot, the expenses for annual care of the grave  in  the  armed  forces'
 burial  plot  to which the removal is made shall be annually provided by
 the town or city in which the remains were  originally  buried,  at  the
 rate  of not to exceed twenty dollars per grave, and shall be paid annu-
 ally to the incorporated cemetery association to which  the  remains  of
 each  deceased member of the armed forces may be removed and reinterred.
 The petition and order shall be filed in the county  clerk's  office  of
 the  county  in  which  the  remains of the deceased member of the armed
 forces were originally interred, and the service of a certified copy  of
 the final order upon the cemetery association shall be made prior to any
 removal.  Any  relative  of  the deceased member or members of the armed
 forces, or the officer of any cemetery association in which the  remains
 of  the  deceased  member or members of the armed forces were originally
 A. 8967                            55
 
 interred, or the authorities of  the  county  in  which  the  member  or
 members  of  the  armed  forces  were  originally buried, may oppose the
 granting of said order and the judge shall summarily hear the  statement
 of  the  parties  and  make  such order as the justice and equity of the
 application shall require. Any headstone or  monument  which  marks  the
 grave  of  the  deceased member of the armed forces shall be removed and
 reset at the grave in the cemetery in which the removal is permitted  to
 be made and in each case the final order shall provide the amount of the
 expenses of such removals and reinterment and resetting of the headstone
 or  monument,  including  the  expenses  of  the  proceedings under this
 section; except that where provision is otherwise made for the  purchase
 or  erection  of a new headstone, monument or marker at the grave in the
 cemetery to which such removal is permitted, such old headstone or monu-
 ment need not be so removed and reset, in which case  such  final  order
 shall  not  provide for the expense of resetting. The order shall desig-
 nate the person or persons having charge of the  removals  and  reinter-
 ments.  Upon completion of the removal, reinterment and resetting of the
 headstones or monuments, the person or persons having charge of the same
 shall make a verified report of the removal, reinterment  and  resetting
 of  the  headstone or monument and file the report in the clerk's office
 of the proper county. The words "member of the armed  forces"  shall  be
 construed  to  mean a member of the armed forces who served in the armed
 forces of the United States and who (5) was  honorably  discharged  from
 such  service,  or (6) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, or (7) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, and the words "armed forces plot" shall  be  construed  to
 mean  a plot of land in any incorporated cemetery set apart to be exclu-
 sively used as a place for interring the remains of deceased veterans of
 the armed forces of the United States.
   § 105. Subdivision 2 of section 404-v of the vehicle and traffic  law,
 as  amended  by section 92 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022,
 is amended to read as follows:
   2. The distinctive plate authorized pursuant to this section shall  be
 issued  upon proof, satisfactory to the commissioner, that the applicant
 is a veteran who served in the United States Naval Armed Guard  and  who
 (1)  was honorably discharged from such service, or (2) has a qualifying
 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETER-
 ANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than
 bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (3)  is  a  discharged
 LGBT  veteran,  as  defined  in  section one of the [veterans' services]
 VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a  discharge  other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.
   §  106. Subdivision 3 of section 404-v of the vehicle and traffic law,
 as amended by section 93 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws  of  2022,
 is amended to read as follows:
   3. A distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued
 in  the same manner as other number plates upon the payment of the regu-
 lar registration fee prescribed by section  four  hundred  one  of  this
 article,  provided, however, that an additional annual service charge of
 fifteen dollars shall be charged for such  plate.  Such  annual  service
 charge  shall be deposited to the credit of the Eighth Air Force Histor-
 ical Society fund established pursuant to section ninety-five-f  of  the
 A. 8967                            56
 
 state  finance  law  and shall be used for veterans' counseling services
 provided by local veterans' service agencies pursuant to  section  four-
 teen  of  the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law
 under  the  direction of the department of [veterans' services] VETERANS
 AND MILITARY FAMILIES. Provided, however, that one year after the effec-
 tive date of this section funds in the amount of five thousand  dollars,
 or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  available, shall be allocated to the
 department to offset  costs  associated  with  the  production  of  such
 license plates.
   § 107. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 1 of section 404-w of the
 vehicle  and traffic law, as amended by section 94 of part PP of chapter
 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   (a) a person who served in the armed forces of the  United  States  in
 the  hostilities that occurred in the Persian Gulf from the eleventh day
 of September, two thousand one, to the end of such hostilities, who  (i)
 was  discharged  therefrom  under other than dishonorable conditions, or
 (ii) has a qualifying condition,  as  defined  in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or  (iii)  is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service; or
   (b) a person who served in the armed forces of the United  States,  in
 the  hostilities  that  occurred in Afghanistan from the eleventh day of
 September, two thousand one, to the end of such hostilities, who (i) was
 discharged therefrom under other than dishonorable conditions,  or  (ii)
 has  a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans'
 services] VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has  received  a
 discharge  other  than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or
 (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in  section  one  of  the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service.
   §  108. Subdivision 3 of section 404-w of the vehicle and traffic law,
 as amended by section 95 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws  of  2022,
 is amended to read as follows:
   3. For the purposes of this section, "Persian Gulf veteran" shall mean
 a person who is a resident of this state, who served in the armed forces
 of  the  United  States  in the hostilities that occurred in the Persian
 Gulf from the second day of August, nineteen hundred ninety to  the  end
 of such hostilities, and was (a) honorably discharged from the military,
 or  (b)  has  a  qualifying  condition, as defined in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one
 of  the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service.
   § 109. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 3 of section 404-y of the
 vehicle  and traffic law, as amended by section 96 of part PP of chapter
 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   (a) "Veteran of the Iraq War" shall mean a person who is a resident of
 this state, who served in the armed forces of the United States  in  the
 hostilities that occurred in Iraq from the sixteenth day of October, two
 thousand two to the end of such hostilities who (i) was discharged ther-
 A. 8967                            57
 
 efrom  under other than dishonorable conditions or (ii) has a qualifying
 condition, as defined in section one of the [veterans' services]  VETER-
 ANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other than
 bad  conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged
 LGBT veteran, as defined in section  one  of  the  [veterans'  services]
 VETERANS  AND  MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has received a discharge other
 than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service; and
   (b) "Veteran of the Afghanistan War" shall mean  a  person  who  is  a
 resident  of  this  state,  who served in the armed forces of the United
 States in the hostilities that occurred in Afghanistan from the  seventh
 day  of October, two thousand one to the end of such hostilities who (i)
 was discharged therefrom under other  than  dishonorable  conditions  or
 (ii)  has  a  qualifying  condition,  as  defined  in section one of the
 [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES  law,  and  has
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as  defined  in  section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 has received a discharge other than bad  conduct  or  dishonorable  from
 such service.
   §  110.  Paragraph  (b) of subdivision 3 of section 490 of the vehicle
 and traffic law, as amended by section 97 of part PP of  chapter  56  of
 the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (b)  The  identification card shall contain a distinguishing number or
 mark and adequate space upon which an anatomical gift, pursuant to arti-
 cle forty-three of the public health law, by the holder may be  recorded
 and  shall  contain  such  other information and shall be issued in such
 form as the commissioner shall determine; provided, however, every iden-
 tification card or renewal thereof issued to a person under the  age  of
 twenty-one  years shall have prominently imprinted thereon the statement
 "UNDER 21  YEARS  OF  AGE"  in  notably  distinctive  print  or  format.
 Provided,  further, however, that every identification card issued to an
 applicant who was a member of the armed forces of the United States  and
 (i)  received  an  honorable  discharge  or was released therefrom under
 honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined  in
 section  one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES
 law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable
 from such service, shall, upon [his or her] THEIR request and submission
 of proof as set forth herein, contain a  distinguishing  mark,  in  such
 form as the commissioner shall determine, indicating that [he or she is]
 THEY ARE a veteran. Such proof shall consist of a certificate of release
 or discharge from active duty including but not limited to a DD Form 214
 or  other proof satisfactory to the commissioner. The commissioner shall
 not require fees for  the  issuance  of  such  identification  cards  or
 renewals  thereof  to  persons  under  twenty-one years of age which are
 different from the fees required  for  the  issuance  of  identification
 cards  or  renewals  thereof to persons twenty-one years of age or over,
 nor fees to persons requesting a veteran distinguishing mark  which  are
 different from fees that would otherwise be required. Provided, however,
 that  notwithstanding  the provisions of section four hundred ninety-one
 of this article, the commissioner shall not require  any  fees  for  the
 duplication  or amendment of an identification card prior to its renewal
 if such duplication or amendment was solely for the purpose of adding  a
 veteran distinguishing mark to such identification card.
 A. 8967                            58
 
   §  111. Paragraph (a-1) of subdivision 1 of section 504 of the vehicle
 and traffic law, as amended by section 98 of part PP of  chapter  56  of
 the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (a-1)  Every license or renewal thereof issued to an applicant who was
 a member of the armed forces of the United States and who  (i)  received
 an  honorable discharge or was released therefrom under honorable condi-
 tions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one  of
 the  [veterans'  services]  VETERANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and has
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or  (iii)  is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 has  received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from
 such service, shall, upon [his or her] THEIR request and  submission  of
 proof  as  set forth herein, contain a distinguishing mark, in such form
 as the commissioner shall determine, indicating that [he or she is] THEY
 ARE a veteran. Such proof shall consist of a certificate of  release  or
 discharge from active duty including but not limited to a DD Form 214 or
 other proof satisfactory to the commissioner. The commissioner shall not
 require  fees  for  the issuance of such licenses or renewals thereof to
 persons requesting a veteran distinguishing  mark  which  are  different
 from  fees  otherwise  required; provided, however, that notwithstanding
 the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall not require  fees
 for a duplication or amendment of a license prior to its renewal if such
 duplication  or amendment was solely for the purpose of adding a veteran
 distinguishing mark to such license.
   § 112. Subdivision 6 of section 508 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 amended by chapter 449 of the laws  of  2024,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   6.  The  commissioner,  in  consultation  with the commissioner of the
 department of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND  MILITARY  FAMILIES,  is
 directed  to  establish  a  process  by which the department shall refer
 driver's license and non-driver identification card applicants  request-
 ing and obtaining a notation upon such license or non-driver identifica-
 tion  card  that  such applicant is a veteran of the United States armed
 forces pursuant to subdivision three of section four hundred  ninety  of
 this  chapter  or  subdivision  one  of section five hundred two of this
 article, upon such applicant's request, to the department of  [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, consistent with the provisions
 of section seven of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMI-
 LIES law.
   § 113. The second undesignated subparagraph of paragraph (a) of subdi-
 vision  8  of section 15 of the workers' compensation law, as amended by
 section 99 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is  amended  to
 read as follows:
   Second: That any plan which will reasonably, equitably and practically
 operate  to break down hindrances and remove obstacles to the employment
 of partially disabled persons who (i) are honorably discharged from  our
 armed forces, or (ii) have a qualifying condition, as defined in section
 one  of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and
 received a discharge other than bad conduct or  dishonorable  from  such
 service,  or  (iii)  are discharged LGBT veterans, as defined in section
 one of the [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law,  and
 received  a  discharge  other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
 service, or any other physically handicapped persons, is of vital impor-
 tance to the state and its people and is of concern to this legislature;
 A. 8967                            59
 
   § 114. Subdivision 1 of section 20 of chapter 784 of the laws of 1951,
 constituting the New York state defense emergency  act,  as  amended  by
 section  24  of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to
 read as follows:
   1.  There  is  hereby  continued in the division of military and naval
 affairs in the executive department a state civil defense commission  to
 consist  of the same members as the members of the disaster preparedness
 commission as established in article two-B  of  the  executive  law.  In
 addition,  the  superintendent of financial services, the chairperson of
 the workers' compensation board and the commissioner of  the  department
 of [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES shall be members.
 The  governor shall designate one of the members of the commission to be
 the chairperson thereof. The commission may  provide  for  its  division
 into  subcommittees  and  for action by such subcommittees with the same
 force and effect as action by the full commission. The  members  of  the
 commission,  except  for  those  who  serve ex officio, shall be allowed
 their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
 duties under this article but shall receive no  additional  compensation
 for services rendered pursuant to this article.
   §  115.  Subdivision  3 of section 16-t of section 1 of chapter 174 of
 the laws of 1968, constituting the  New  York  state  urban  development
 corporation  act,  as  amended  by  chapter  617 of the laws of 2023, is
 amended to read as follows:
   3. Program loans to small businesses  and  micro-businesses  shall  be
 targeted  and marketed to minority and women-owned enterprises, veteran-
 owned enterprises as set  forth  in  15  U.S.C.  section  632(Q)(3),  as
 amended  from  time  to  time, and service-disabled veteran-owned enter-
 prises as set forth in article three of the [veterans' services]  VETER-
 ANS  AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and other small businesses and micro-bu-
 sinesses  that  are  having  difficulty  accessing  traditional   credit
 markets. Program loans to small businesses and micro-businesses shall be
 used  for  the  creation and retention of jobs, as defined by the corpo-
 ration, including: (a)  working  capital;  (b)  the  acquisition  and/or
 improvement  of  real  property;  (c)  the  acquisition of machinery and
 equipment, property or improvement; or (d) the refinancing of debt obli-
 gations. There shall be two categories of loans to small businesses  and
 micro-businesses:  a  micro loan that shall have a principal amount that
 is less than twenty-five thousand dollars and a regular loan that  shall
 have  a  principal  amount  not  less than twenty-five thousand dollars.
 Prior to receiving program funds, the lending organization must  certify
 to  the  corporation that such loan complies with this section and rules
 and regulations promulgated for the program and that the lending  organ-
 ization  has  performed its obligations pursuant to and is in compliance
 with this section, the program rules and regulations and all  agreements
 entered  into  between the corporation and the lending organization. The
 program funds amount used by the lending organization to fund a  program
 applicant  loan  shall  not  be more than fifty percent of the principal
 amount of such loan. The program funds amount used by the lending organ-
 ization to fund a program applicant loan shall not be greater  than  one
 hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  Minority- and women-owned
 business enterprises, veteran-owned  enterprises  as  set  forth  in  15
 U.S.C. section 632(Q)(3), as amended from time to time, and service-dis-
 abled  veteran-owned  enterprises  as  set forth in article three of the
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES law, and other small
 businesses or micro-businesses who access such program loans under  this
 A. 8967                            60
 
 subdivision  shall  not  be  precluded  from  accessing  such short-term
 financing loans provided under subdivision eleven of this section.
   §  116. Paragraph 2 of subdivision b of section 31-102 of the adminis-
 trative code of the city of New York, as amended by section 25  of  part
 PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  links  to websites describing veteran employment services provided
 by the federal government and New York state government, including,  but
 not  limited  to, the websites of the United States department of labor,
 the New York state department of labor, the United States department  of
 veterans  affairs,  and  the  New  York  state  department of [veterans'
 services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES; and
   § 117. Subdivision a of section 3102 of the New York city charter,  as
 amended  by  section 26 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is
 amended to read as follows:
   a. Except as otherwise provided by law, the  commissioner  shall  have
 such  powers  as  provided  by  the commissioner of the state department
 [veterans' services'] OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES and  shall  have
 the  duty  to inform military and naval authorities of the United States
 and assist members of the armed forces and veterans, who  are  residents
 of  the city, and their families, in relation to: (1) matters pertaining
 to educational training and  retraining  services  and  facilities,  (2)
 health,   medical   and   rehabilitation  service  and  facilities,  (3)
 provisions of federal, state and local laws  and  regulations  affording
 special  rights and privileges to members of the armed forces and veter-
 ans and their families, (4) employment and re-employment  services,  and
 (5) other matters of similar, related or appropriate nature. The commis-
 sioner  shall  also assist families of members of the reserve components
 of the armed forces and the organized militia ordered into  active  duty
 to  ensure that they are made aware of and are receiving all appropriate
 support available to them. The department also shall perform such  other
 duties as may be assigned by the state commissioner of the department of
 [veterans' services] VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES.
   §  118. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, the
 amendments made to paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section 50  of  the
 civil service law made by section twenty of this act shall be subject to
 the  expiration  and reversion of such paragraph when upon such date the
 provisions of section twenty-a of this act shall take  effect;  provided
 further,  however, the amendments made to section thirty-three-a of this
 act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter
 453 of the laws of 2024 takes effect;  provided  further,  however,  the
 amendments  made  to  sections  forty-three  and seventy-two of this act
 shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter 625
 of the laws of 2024 takes effect; provided further, however, the  amend-
 ments made to sections seventy-seven and seventy-eight of this act shall
 take  effect  on  the same date and in the same manner as chapter 623 of
 the laws of 2024 takes  effect;  provided  further,  however,  that  the
 amendments to section 163 of the state finance law made by section nine-
 ty-seven  of  this  act  shall not affect the repeal of such section and
 shall be deemed repealed therewith; provided further, however, that  the
 amendments  to section 103-a of the state technology law made by section
 ninety-nine of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section  and
 shall be deemed repealed therewith.