Senate Bill S10398A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                 10398--A
 
                             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  --
   committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
   recommitted to said committee
 
 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. 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:
   (A)  "VETERAN" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS SET FORTH IN SECTION ONE
 OF THE VETERANS' SERVICES LAW AND SHALL ALSO INCLUDE A PERSON WHO SERVED
 IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL, AIR, OR  SPACE  SERVICE,  AS  DEFINED  IN
 SECTION 101 OF TITLE 38 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE AND (I) HAS A QUALIFY-
 ING  CONDITION, AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE VETERANS' SERVICES LAW,
 AND HAS RECEIVED A 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 LAW, AND HAS RECEIVED A DISCHARGE
 OTHER THAN BAD CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE.
   (B) "SERVICE-CONNECTED" MEANS WITH RESPECT TO DISABILITY,  A  DETERMI-
 NATION BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OR THE UNITED
 STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  DEFENSE,  THAT  SUCH  DISABILITY WAS INCURRED OR
 AGGRAVATED IN LINE OF DUTY IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL, AIR, OR  SPACE
 SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES.
   2. (A) THE GOVERNING BODY OF A CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE MAY ADOPT A LOCAL
 LAW,  RULE OR ORDINANCE TO WAIVE OR REDUCE 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 ALTERATIONS TO THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE OF A VETERAN WITH A
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15132-05-6
 S. 10398--A                         2
 
 SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY IF THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO  ACCOM-
 MODATE  A  SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OF SUCH 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.    IN  ORDER  TO  RECEIVE  A  FEE
 REDUCTION  OR  WAIVER,  A  VETERAN MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF VETERAN STATUS,
 DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNING BODY PURSUANT TO  PARAGRAPH  (B)
 OF THIS SUBDIVISION, AND ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE
 RESIDENCE ARE REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE THE VETERAN'S DISABILITY.
   (B)  THE  GOVERNING  BODY  OF A CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE SHALL SPECIFY BY
 LOCAL LAW, RULE OR ORDINANCE, THE DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED TO QUALIFY  FOR
 A  REDUCTION  OF  OR  WAIVER  FROM  FEES  UNDER  THIS SECTION, WHICH MAY
 INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, A RATING DECISION LETTER FROM THE UNITED
 STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OR SIMILAR DOCUMENTATION FROM  THE
 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT SUCH
 CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE MAY REQUIRE.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of December next succeed-
 ing  the  date  on  which 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.