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S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7708
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
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:
1 Section 1. The veterans' services law is amended by adding a new
2 section 29-e to read as follows:
3 § 29-E. VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS. 1. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH,
4 PRINT, PUBLISH AND DISTRIBUTE A VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS. SUCH BILL OF
5 RIGHTS SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING OR SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TEXT:
6 "VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS
7 YOU AS A VETERAN HAVE A RIGHT:
8 1. TO APPLY FOR VETERANS' BENEFITS;
9 2. TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM YOUR LOCAL STATE VETERANS' SERVICE AGEN-
10 CY AND ALL OFFICES OF THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS'
11 SERVICES;
12 3. TO RECEIVE AN EXPLANATION OF THE SERVICES AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE
13 UNDER FEDERAL AND NEW YORK STATE LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS;
14 4. TO RECEIVE WRITTEN NOTICE AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE APPROVAL OR
15 DENIAL OF YOUR APPLICATION FOR BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER NEW YORK STATE
16 LAW;
17 5. TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT;
18 6. TO APPEAL ANY ADVERSE DETERMINATION OR DENIAL OF YOUR APPLICATION
19 FOR SERVICES OR BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER NEW YORK STATE LAW;
20 7. TO EXPECT CONFIDENTIALITY;
21 8. TO RECEIVE FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT WITHOUT REGARD TO SEX, RACE,
22 RELIGION, DISABILITY, ETHNICITY, GENDER IDENTITY OR NATIONAL ORIGIN; AND
23 9. TO BE INFORMED OF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO VETERANS IN THE STATE OF
24 NEW YORK INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LEGAL SERVICES; EDUCATIONAL
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09703-02-5
S. 7708 2
1 OPPORTUNITIES; TAX BENEFITS, INCLUDING REAL PROPERTY AND PERSONAL TAXES;
2 AND NEW YORK STATE DRIVER'S LICENSE AND NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION
3 CARDS."
4 2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE THE VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS AVAILABLE ON
5 THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
7 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment,
8 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
9 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
10 completed on or before such effective date.