S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7708--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 1, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
   ty and Military Affairs -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the veterans' services law, in relation to the estab-
   lishing a veterans' bill of rights
 
   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. VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS. 1. THE DEPARTMENT  SHALL  ESTABLISH,
 PRINT,  PUBLISH  AND DISTRIBUTE A VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS. SUCH BILL OF
 RIGHTS  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE  FOLLOWING  OR  SUBSTANTIALLY  SIMILAR  TEXT
 DESCRIBING THE EXISTING RIGHTS OF VETERANS UNDER CURRENT LAW:
 "VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS
 YOU AS A VETERAN HAVE A RIGHT:
   1. TO APPLY FOR VETERANS' BENEFITS FOR WHICH YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE;
   2. TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM YOUR LOCAL STATE VETERANS' SERVICE AGEN-
 CY  AND  ALL  OFFICES  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS'
 SERVICES;
   3. TO RECEIVE, UPON REQUEST, AN EXPLANATION OF ANY SERVICES AND  BENE-
 FITS  AVAILABLE  UNDER  FEDERAL AND NEW YORK STATE LAWS, RULES AND REGU-
 LATIONS;
   4. TO RECEIVE WRITTEN NOTICE AND AN EXPLANATION  OF  THE  APPROVAL  OR
 DENIAL  OF  YOUR APPLICATION FOR BENEFITS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NEW YORK
 STATE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES;
   5. TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT;
   6. TO APPEAL, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW, AN ADVERSE  DETERMINATION  OR
 DENIAL  OF  YOUR  APPLICATION FOR SERVICES OR BENEFITS AVAILABLE THROUGH
 THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES;
   7. TO EXPECT CONFIDENTIALITY TO THE EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09703-05-5
              

 S. 7708--A                          2
 
   8. TO RECEIVE FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT WITHOUT REGARD  TO  SEX,  RACE,
 RELIGION, DISABILITY, ETHNICITY, GENDER IDENTITY OR NATIONAL ORIGIN; AND
   9.  TO  RECEIVE,  UPON  REQUEST,  INFORMATION  RELATING  TO ASSISTANCE
 PROVIDED TO VETERANS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED
 TO:  LEGAL  SERVICES; EDUCATIONAL, EMPLOYMENT, OR HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES;
 ASSISTANCE WITH DISCHARGE UPGRADES AND/OR CHARACTER OF SERVICE  DETERMI-
 NATIONS;  TAX  BENEFITS, INCLUDING REAL PROPERTY AND PERSONAL TAXES; AND
 THE VETERANS NOTATION ON NEW YORK STATE DRIVER'S LICENSE  OR  NON-DRIVER
 IDENTIFICATION CARDS."
   2.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  CONSPICUOUSLY  POST  THE VETERANS' BILL OF
 RIGHTS ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE AND SHALL MAKE THE VETERANS' BILL  OF
 RIGHTS AVAILABLE TO COUNTY AND CITY VETERANS' SERVICE AGENCIES.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a  law.  Effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment,
 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
 of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are  authorized  to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.