Senate Bill S10398

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10398
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
 
 AN ACT to amend the general municipal  law,  in  relation  to  exempting
   disabled  veterans from certain fees relating to physical modification
   of a residence to accommodate a disability
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "disabled
 veteran home modification act".
   § 2. Legislative findings and  purposes.  (a)  The  legislature  finds
 that:
   (1) Disabled veterans are being charged fees for home modifications in
 order  to  accommodate  a disability, including permit fees, plan review
 fees, inspection fees, reinspection fees, or other fees.
   (2) Such fees can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, adding a
 financial burden for disabled veterans looking to make their homes  more
 accessible.
   (b) The Legislature's purposes in promulgating this act are to further
 the important and compelling state interests of:
   (1) providing that a veteran with a disability, or the veteran's care-
 giver,  shall  not be charged any fees for improvements to the residence
 of the veteran with a disability, if the improvements  are  required  to
 accommodate a disability;
   (2)  ensuring  that  disabled  veterans  can comfortably live in their
 homes;
   (3) ensuring that disabled veterans  are  not  burdened  by  financial
 barriers when modifying their homes to accommodate a disability; and
   (4) reintegrating veterans into their communities and a civilian life-
 style.
   § 3. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 95-b
 to read as follows:
   §  95-B.  FEE EXEMPTIONS FOR DISABLED VETERANS. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 THIS SECTION:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15132-01-6
              

 S. 10398                            2
 
   (A) "VETERAN" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS SET FORTH IN SECTION  ONE
 OF THE VETERANS' SERVICES LAW.
   (B) "VETERAN WITH A DISABILITY" MEANS A VETERAN WHO:
   (I)  HAS A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL IMPAIRMENT THAT SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITS ONE
 OR MORE MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITIES OF SUCH INDIVIDUAL;
   (II) HAS A RECORD OF SUCH AN IMPAIRMENT; OR
   (III) IS REGARDED AS HAVING SUCH AN IMPAIRMENT.
   2. (A) A VETERAN WITH A DISABILITY OR THE  VETERAN'S  CAREGIVER  SHALL
 NOT BE CHARGED ANY BUILDING DEPARTMENT FEES, INCLUDING PERMIT FEES, PLAN
 REVIEW  OR PLAN EXAMINATION FEES, INSPECTION FEES, REINSPECTION FEES, OR
 OTHER FEES REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS OR ALTERNATIONS TO THE
 RESIDENCE OF THE VETERAN WITH  A  DISABILITY  IF  THE  IMPROVEMENTS  ARE
 REQUIRED  TO  ACCOMMODATE  A  DISABILITY OF THE VETERAN. NOTHING IN THIS
 SECTION RELIEVES THE OBLIGATION OF ANY PERSON TO SUBMIT TO THE APPROPRI-
 ATE CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE ANY APPLICATIONS, FORMS,  OR  OTHER  PAPERWORK
 REQUIRED  TO  OBTAIN  A  BUILDING  PERMIT.  A  VETERAN OR CAREGIVER MUST
 PROVIDE PROOF OF VETERAN STATUS AND ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT THE IMPROVE-
 MENTS TO THE RESIDENCE ARE REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE THE  VETERAN'S  DISA-
 BILITY.
   (B)  THE  GOVERNING  BODY  OF A CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE SHALL SPECIFY BY
 LOCAL LAW, RULE OR ORDINANCE, THE DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED TO QUALIFY  FOR
 EXEMPTION FROM FEES UNDER THIS SECTION.
   §  4.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law; provided, however, that no fees paid to a city,  town
 or  village  prior  to  such  effective  date  shall  be  required to be
 refunded.