Senate Bill S8493

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8493
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              August 29, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  LIU  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT in relation to providing a World War II service bonus for certain
   veterans
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Legislative  intent.  The legislature finds that many New
 York residents served honorably in the armed forces of the United States
 after September 2, 1945, the date  recognized  in  the  New  York  State
 Constitution  for  the  purposes  of the World War II service bonus, but
 before the cutoff date of December 31, 1946 for  World  War  II  veteran
 status as recognized by the federal government. Due to this discrepancy,
 there  are  many  service members who were conferred WWII Veteran status
 and benefits by the federal government, but not  by  the  state  of  New
 York. It is the intent of this legislature to fully honor these unrecog-
 nized  individuals,  or  their next of kin, under terms similar to those
 provided in section 18 of Article VII of the New York State Constitution
 to honor their service to the United States and the state of New York by
 means of a bonus similar to what was provided under section 18 of  Arti-
 cle  VII  of the New York State Constitution.  The bonus would go a long
 way in acknowledging the inequity these veterans faced, restoring parity
 with their fellow service members, and offering a lasting expression  of
 gratitude from the people of New York.
   § 2. 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this act:
   (a)  "Qualifying Member of the Armed Forces" shall mean members of the
 Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Army Air Forces, Merchant Marines
 of the United States as well as members of the public health service  or
 coast and geodetic survey while engaged in active service with the armed
 forces  of  the United States, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or
 Coast Guard, who did not receive a bonus pursuant to Chapter 547 of  the
 laws of 1947.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13683-02-5
              

 S. 8493                             2
 
   (b)  "Qualifying  service"  means active duty with the armed forces of
 the United States at any time during the period  beginning  December  7,
 1941  and  ending  December  31, 1946, and separation or discharge under
 honorable conditions.
   (c)  "Resident"  means  an  individual  who was a resident of New York
 state for a period of at least six months as of December 31, 1946.
   (d) "Next of Kin" means the lawful surviving spouse, child, parent  or
 sibling of the member of the armed forces, in that order of precedence.
   2. Bonus eligibility. A bonus of $250 shall be paid to surviving qual-
 ifying  members  of  the armed forces who performed a qualifying service
 and was a  resident  of  New  York  state  prior  to  their  enlistment,
 induction,  or  call  to  active duty. The next of kin of any qualifying
 member of the armed forces shall be  entitled  to  such  bonus  if  such
 member:
   (a)  performed  a  qualifying  service  and was a resident of New York
 state prior to their enlistment, induction, or call to active  duty  and
 died after their separation or discharge under honorable conditions; and
   (b)  was  a  resident  of  New  York  state prior to their enlistment,
 induction, or call to active duty and died while on active  duty  during
 the period December 7, 1941 and ending December 31, 1946.
   3.  Administration. (a) The Department of Veterans' Services is desig-
 nated as the agency to receive, examine and pay bonus claims filed here-
 under, and the New York State  Commissioner  of  Veterans'  Services  is
 authorized  to  adopt  rules  and regulations to perform such duties and
 functions as may be necessary for the proper administration of this act,
 including the establishment of a "WWII  Veterans'  Equity  bonus  fund".
 Funding  for  the  bonus  shall  come from existing funds, not otherwise
 obligated, of the Department of Veterans' Services.
   (b) The Department of Veterans' Services shall assist persons entitled
 to any bonus in the preparation of claims and all agencies of the  state
 shall  cooperate  with  the commissioner to effectuate the provisions of
 this act.
   (c) Applications for such bonus shall be accepted for 5 years from the
 effective date of this act, and no bonus payment shall be made on appli-
 cations filed subsequent to such date by any person, unless such  person
 can  show  that  they were incapable of making such application prior to
 such date because of physical or mental incapacity.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.