NY State Senate Bill 2025-S10151

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 30, 2026	referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8484
Current Committee:: Senate Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs
Law Section:: Veterans' Service Law
Laws Affected:: Add §29-e, Veterans' Services L

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the commissioner of veterans' services to establish a registry of self-identifying service members, veterans and family members of such individuals who may have experienced exposure to a hazardous substance at a military installation and to establish and maintain a public information program in order to educate and inform service members, veterans, and their families.

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S10151

SPONSOR: SCARCELLA-SPANTON
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to establishing
a hazardous substance exposure registry

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Adds a new section 29-e to the veterans' services law to:

1. require the commissioner of veterans services in consultation with
the commissioners of health and environmental conservation and the adju-
tant general to identify all current or former military installations
within the state where service members, veterans and their families are
known or more likely than not to have been at risk of exposure to
hazardous substance including military installations registered as an
inactive hazardous waste disposal site or brownfield cleanup site or
registered under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act and to identify hazardous substances at
such military installations and any medical conditions that may be asso-
ciated with them;

2. require the commissioner of veterans services to establish a registry
of self-identifying service members, veterans, and their family members
who served, worked, or lived at a military installation identified by
the commissioner as an installation with a risk of exposure to hazardous
substances, to report any medical conditions or deaths that may be asso-
ciated with such exposures.

3. require the commissioner of veterans services to establish a public
information program for the purpose of informing service members, veter-
ans and their families regarding the registry as well as other health
registries maintained by the united states department of veterans
affairs and information regarding healthcare and benefits related to
toxic exposure available through the federal government;

4. require the commissioner to make the aggregate data publicly avail-
able and subject to appropriations conduct a study of such data.

5. require the commissioner to use the information collected through the
registry and regarding exposure to hazardous substances at New York
military installations, to notify affected individuals and when neces-
sary, advocate on their behalf at the federal level for services and
benefits to which they may be entitled as a result of suffering hazard-
ous exposure; and

6. provides that information provided to the registry shall be protected
as personal confidential information.

Section 2: Provides an effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The problem of pollution and environmental contamination at domestic
military bases has become so widespread that according to a 2008 report
by the National Cancer Institute nearly nine hundred Superfund sites
listed by the Environmental Protection Agency are military affiliated.
All too often the hazardous substances at these facilities have terrible
consequences for the health and wellbeing of service members, veterans
and their family members who have lived, worked, and served there. A
number of military bases in New York have also been designated federal
or state superfund sites including Griffiss Air Force Base Air Force
Base,

Plattsburg Air Force Base, Seneca Army Depot, and Stewart Air National
Guard Base. While there is currently no federal statutory or regulatory
presumption of exposure or service-connected disability for serving at a
superfund site, historically health registries for Agent Orange and Burn
Pits have helped veterans affected by those exposures access care and
benefits. This bill seeks to make an important first step in addressing
the issue of toxic exposure at domestic military bases by establishing a
health registry for those who lived, worked, or served at a military
base in New York where hazardous exposures are known or likely to have
occurred.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become law.

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10151
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 30, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. SCARCELLA-SPANTON -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on  Veterans,  Home-
   land Security and Military Affairs
 
 AN  ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to establishing
   a hazardous substance exposure registry
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  veterans'  services  law  is amended by adding a new
 section 29-e to read as follows:
   § 29-E. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE EXPOSURE REGISTRY.   1.  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  ON  A CONTINUOUS BASIS, AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER
 OF HEALTH, THE COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, AND THE ADJU-
 TANT GENERAL:
   (A) IDENTIFY ALL CURRENT  OR  FORMER  MILITARY  INSTALLATIONS  LOCATED
 WITHIN THE STATE WHERE SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, OR THEIR FAMILIES, ARE
 KNOWN  OR  MORE  LIKELY  THAN  NOT TO HAVE BEEN AT RISK OF EXPOSURE TO A
 HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE IDENTIFIED IN PARAGRAPH  (B)  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION.
 SUCH  MILITARY INSTALLATIONS SHALL AT A MINIMUM INCLUDE ANY SUCH INSTAL-
 LATION REGISTERED AS AN INACTIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL SITE OR BROWN-
 FIELD CLEANUP SITE UNDER TITLES THIRTEEN AND FOURTEEN OF  ARTICLE  TWEN-
 TY-SEVEN   OF   THE   ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION  LAW  RESPECTIVELY  OR
 REGISTERED  UNDER  THE  FEDERAL  COMPREHENSIVE  ENVIRONMENTAL  RESPONSE,
 COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT (42 U.S.C. § 21 9601 ET SEQ.); AND
   (B) IDENTIFY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AT SUCH MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, WITH
 CONSIDERATION  GIVEN  TO  SUBSTANCES  HAZARDOUS  OR ACUTELY HAZARDOUS TO
 PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY OR THE ENVIRONMENT AS DEFINED IN  SECTION  37-0103
 OF  THE  ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW, AND ANY MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT
 MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO THEM.
   2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH  A  REGISTRY  OF  SELF-IDENTIFYING
 SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY
 HAVE EXPERIENCED EXPOSURE TO A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE AT A MILITARY INSTAL-
 LATION IDENTIFIED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION THAT SHALL INCLUDE:
   (A)  THE  PERSON'S  NAME,  ADDRESS, ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS, AND PHONE
 NUMBER;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD13116-02-5
 S. 10151                            2
 
   (B) THE LOCATION OF THE MILITARY  INSTALLATION  AND  TIME  PERIOD  THE
 PERSON SERVED, WORKED, OR LIVED AT SUCH INSTALLATION;
   (C)  ANY  MEDICAL  CONDITION  OR DEATH OF A SERVICE MEMBER, VETERAN OR
 FAMILY MEMBER OF SUCH INDIVIDUAL THAT MAY BE RELATED TO  EXPOSURE  TO  A
 HAZARDOUS  SUBSTANCE  IDENTIFIED  IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF
 THIS SECTION; AND
   (D) ANY OTHER INFORMATION DETERMINED RELEVANT BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF  HEALTH,
 THE  COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, AND THE ADJUTANT GENER-
 AL, SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM  IN  ORDER
 TO  EDUCATE  AND  INFORM  SERVICE  MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES
 REGARDING:
   (A) PARTICIPATION IN THE REGISTRY ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO  SUBDIVISION
 TWO OF THIS SECTION;
   (B)  PARTICIPATION  IN  THE HEALTH REGISTRIES MAINTAINED BY THE UNITED
 STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, INCLUDING THE:
   (I) AGENT ORANGE REGISTRY;
   (II) AIRBORNE HAZARDS AND OPEN BURN PIT REGISTRY;
   (III) GULF WAR REGISTRY;
   (IV) IONIZING RADIATION REGISTRY;
   (V) DEPLETED URANIUM FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM; AND
   (VI) TOXIC EMBEDDED FRAGMENT SURVEILLANCE CENTER;
   (C) INFORMATION REGARDING PRESUMPTIVE CONDITIONS  OR  DISEASES  DETER-
 MINED  TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH TOXIC EXPOSURE BY THE UNITED STATES DEPART-
 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS;
   (D) THE MOST RECENT SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENTS ON THE HEALTH  EFFECTS  OF
 EXPOSURES  TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IDENTIFIED IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDI-
 VISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, AND TOXIC  EXPOSURE  INCLUDING  EXPOSURE  TO
 OPEN BURN PIT SMOKE OR OTHER AIRBORNE HAZARDS;
   (E) THE PROCESS FOR APPLYING TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETER-
 ANS AFFAIRS FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY COMPENSATION FOR AN ILLNESS
 OR CONDITION THAT MAY BE RELATED TO AN EXPOSURE TO A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE
 IDENTIFIED  IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION OR TOXIC
 EXPOSURE, INCLUDING THE METHODS FOR DOCUMENTING THE  ILLNESS  OR  CONDI-
 TION; AND
   (F)  APPEALING AN EXISTING DISABILITY RATING DECISION OR REQUESTING AN
 UPGRADE IN DISABILITY RATING FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETER-
 ANS AFFAIRS.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  MAKE  THE  AGGREGATE  DATA  COMPLIED  UNDER
 SUBDIVISION  TWO  OF THIS SECTION PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S
 WEBSITE AND SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATIONS, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PREPARE OR
 CAUSE TO BE PREPARED A STUDY CONTAINING:
   (A) AN ANALYSIS OF SUCH AGGREGATE DATA;
   (B) A DESCRIPTION OF THE TYPES AND INCIDENCES OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR
 DEATHS REPORTED UNDER SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
   (C) ANY EXPLANATIONS FOR THE INCIDENCE OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS  AND  ANY
 OTHER REASONABLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE INCIDENCE OF SUCH CONDITIONS; AND
   (D)  ANY  OTHER  INFORMATION  OR  OPINIONS  REGARDING  ANY ASSOCIATION
 BETWEEN SUCH CONDITIONS AND EXPOSURES TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IDENTIFIED
 IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION THAT THE COMMISSION-
 ER MAY DETERMINE TO BE RELEVANT.
   5. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL USE THE INFORMATION COLLECTED UNDER SUBDIVI-
 SIONS ONE AND TWO OF THIS SECTION, AND IF APPLICABLE, THE STUDY PREPARED
 UNDER SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION TO:
   (A) NOTIFY, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, ANY AFFECTED  SERVICE  MEMBERS,
 VETERANS,  AND  FAMILY  MEMBERS OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS OF THE RISK OF EXPO-
 S. 10151                            3
 
 SURES TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IDENTIFIED IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION
 ONE OF THIS SECTION AT A MILITARY INSTALLATION IDENTIFIED UNDER SUBDIVI-
 SION ONE OF THIS SECTION; AND
   (B)  ADVOCATE  WHEN  NECESSARY,  AT  THE  FEDERAL  LEVEL FOR VETERANS,
 SERVICE MEMBERS AND  THEIR  FAMILIES  WHO  HAVE  SUFFERED  EXPOSURES  TO
 HAZARDOUS  SUBSTANCES  IDENTIFIED IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF
 THIS SECTION INCLUDING, IF  APPROPRIATE,  SEEKING  RECOGNITION  FOR  NEW
 PRESUMPTIONS  OF EXPOSURE TO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AND SERVICE CONNECTION
 FOR DISABILITIES RELATED TO SUCH EXPOSURES.
   6. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO  SUBDIVISION
 TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE PROTECTED AS PERSONAL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMA-
 TION  UNDER  ARTICLE SIX-A OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW AGAINST DISCLOSURE
 OF CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL AND BE USED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSES DESCRIBED  IN
 THIS SECTION. ANY PUBLICATION OF THE STUDY DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR
 OF  THIS SECTION SHALL NOT INCLUDE PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF
 REGISTRY PARTICIPANTS.
   7. AS USED IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE  FOLLOW-
 ING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "MILITARY  INSTALLATION" MEANS A BASE, CAMP, POST, STATION, YARD,
 CENTER, HOMEPORT FACILITY FOR ANY SHIP,  OR  OTHER  ACTIVITY  UNDER  THE
 JURISDICTION  OF  THE  UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OR THE UNITED
 STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WITH RESPECT TO INSTALLATIONS  OF
 THE  UNITED  STATES  COAST  GUARD, OR THE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL
 AFFAIRS INCLUDING ANY LEASED FACILITY;
   (B) "TOXIC EXPOSURE" SHALL HAVE THE  SAME  MEANING  AS  SUCH  TERM  IS
 DEFINED IN SECTION 101 OF TITLE 38 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE;
   (C)  "SERVICE  MEMBER"  MEANS A PERSON WHO IS CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE
 UNIFORMED SERVICES OF THE UNITED STATES OR IN A "FORCE OF THE  ORGANIZED
 MILITIA" AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE MILITARY LAW; AND
   (D)  "VETERAN"  SHALL  MEAN  A PERSON WHO SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE
 UNIFORMED SERVICES, OR A PERSON WHO SERVED IN A "FORCE OF THE  ORGANIZED
 MILITIA"  AS  SUCH  TERM  IS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE MILITARY LAW,
 REGARDLESS OF DISCHARGE STATUS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

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Senate Bill S10151

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs Committee

Actions

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Jessica Scarcella-Spanton

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs Committee

Actions

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S10151 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments