Senate Bill S8571

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8571

SPONSOR: RYAN C
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
of license plates for disabled veterans

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds an additional eligibility clause for a Universal Symbol
of Access license plate to veterans who are 100% disabled by the VA.

Section 2 establishes an effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Currently, New York State does not automatically recognize a veteran's
100% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
as an immediate qualifier for a license plate bearing the Universal
Symbol of Access. Although a physician may certify a veteran as 100%
disabled according to VA standards, the New York State Department of
              

Motor Vehicles (DMV) uses a separate application form and criteria that
do not align with federal standards. This misalignment creates incon-
sistencies between the DMV's definition of a "Severely Disabled Person"
and the VA's established determinations.

Veterans who have received a 100% service-connected disability rating
have already undergone extensive medical evaluations and have been
deemed eligible for all necessary accommodation. Yet, despite these
federal determinations, they are often required to navigate redundant
and conflicting state-Level processes to obtain basic accessibility
benefits. For individuals who already endure life-altering injuries and
persistent health challenges, these bureaucratic hurdles impose unneces-
sary hardship. Access to parking and mobility accommodations through the
Universal Symbol of Access is not a privilege, it is a necessity for
disabled veterans.

This bill corrects these discrepancies by recognizing VA disability
ratings as sufficient proof of eligibility, ensuring consistency between
state and federal standards. It also relieves doctors of the burden of
re-certifying disabilities already verified by the VA.  Physicians are
currently required to interpret DMV standards that may not match their
medical records or VA documentation, creating confusion and additional
paperwork. By streamlining the process and eliminating duplicative
certifications, this legislation reduces administrative pressure on
medical professionals, lowers liability risk, and allows doctors to
focus their time and expertise on providing care rather than navigating
unnecessary bureaucracy.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

TBD.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate.