New York State Senate Majority Marks Veterans Hall of Fame Ceremony by Advancing Laws to Support NY Veterans and Service Members

(Albany, NY) This week, the Senate Democratic Majority passed legislation to honor and support New York’s veterans and active duty military personnel. The package coincides with the Senate’s annual Veterans Hall of Fame ceremony, which has commemorated and honored outstanding and decorated veterans for two decades. This legislation builds on our efforts from this year's enacted budget, in which we expanded eligibility for the Gold Star Families Annuity Program to better support the family members of fallen veterans and invested in mental health services for our veterans. 

The bills passed in this package would allow local municipalities to adopt new property tax relief for active duty service members who served in combat zones and disabled veterans; honor fallen veterans by establishing Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day as a commemorative day in New York State and adopting the “Honor and Remember” flag as the state flag; and permit veterans to transfer their tuition award program benefits to an immediate family member.  

“This week, we took meaningful action to support those who have served our nation with honor,” said Senator Lea Webb. “The legislative package we passed delivers real support, whether it’s easing the financial burden on veterans and their families, expanding access to education benefits, or formally recognizing the sacrifice of those we've lost to the invisible wounds of war. Our veterans deserve more than gratitude. They deserve lasting support, and I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in delivering just that.”

The legislation passed to support veterans and active service members by the Senate Majority includes: 

● Real property tax exemption for active duty military personnel: This bill, S02068-A, sponsored by Senator Scarcella-Spanton, allows local municipalities to adopt a real property tax exemption for active duty service members and military personnel who served in a combat zone. 

● Establishes an official state flag for honoring fallen veterans: This bill, S.02364, sponsored by Senator Scarcella-Spanton, designates The “Honor and Remember” Flag as the official state flag for recognizing armed service members who have died as a result of serving the United States in any war or conflict. 

● Real property tax exemption for eligible disabled veterans: This bill, S.1183, sponsored by Senator Addabbo, allows local municipalities to adopt a full real property tax exemption on primary residences of veterans with a 100 percent service connected disability.

● Veteran Family Educational Attainment Act: This bill, S.4358, sponsored by Senator Jamaal Bailey, allows a qualified veteran to transfer their unused tuition awards and benefits to their spouse or children. 

● Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day: This bill, S.4152-A, sponsored by Senator James Sanders Jr., establishes September twenty-second of each year as Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day in the State of New York. 

###