Queens, NY (December 22, 2025) NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., a member of the Senate’s Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs Committee, is proud to announce his legislation (S.1183) was signed into law, following the Legislature’s approval of Governor Hochul’s chapter amendment clarifying and strengthening the bill’s provisions. The law expands the Alternative Veterans Exemption under the Real Property Tax Law by authorizing counties, cities, towns, villages, and school districts to provide a full real property tax exemption to veterans with a 100% service-connected disability.

“Service-connected disabilities can leave veterans unable to engage in gainful employment and significantly impact their ability to support themselves and their families,” stated Addabbo. “This new law will offer meaningful property tax relief to those who have sustained the most serious service-related injuries in defense of our nation, another substantive act acknowledging their personal service and sacrifices,” Addabbo said.

“As Chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs, I am proud to see this important legislation become law. I thank Senator Addabbo for sponsoring this bill and Governor Kathy Hochul for signing it. This law gives our 100 percent service-disabled veterans real parity and real dignity, reducing the cost of remaining in their homes and giving them a meaningful reason to choose New York as the place to live and put down roots after service. New York must continue to be a state where veterans want to reside and raise their families, and where we don’t just thank them for their service, we demonstrate our appreciation through concrete action.” stated Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton.

The Legislature agreed to the Governor’s amendments, ensuring the statute is clear, consistent, and properly aligned with existing law, namely that the full property tax exemption must be offered to all qualified disabled veterans in New York State. With these corrections in place, S.1183 has been signed into law, delivering a clear and effective framework for local governments to extend additional tax relief to New York’s most severely disabled veterans.

“This effort to further help our veterans with affordability has been a long time coming, and I am deeply grateful to my colleagues in the Legislature, and to the Governor, for their support in getting this important law enacted,” said Addabbo. “By making it more affordable for veterans with 100 percent service-connected disabilities to own a home, we are giving our disabled veterans a real opportunity to remain in New York State, in the communities they call home,” added Addabbo.

Governor Hochul also signed Addabbo bill S6351A, known as the Bell Jar Bill, which would allow authorized veterans organizations to utilize electronic bell jar machines as a means of fundraising. These machines would provide veterans organizations to offer games of chance to its patrons to raise funds, monitored and administered by the Gaming Commission.