Establishes the "New York's Own combat veterans healthcare choice program act" to establish tax free savings accounts to pay the healthcare costs of combat veterans on active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, until covered by the federal government; directs the division of military and naval affairs to establish a registry of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans.
Establishes the "New York's Own combat veterans healthcare choice program act" to establish tax free savings accounts to pay the healthcare costs of combat veterans on active duty during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, until covered by the federal government; directs the division of military and naval affairs to establish a registry of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans.
S 4752 would create a state program to securely share veteran contact information between multiple state agencies that provide services to veterans. It requires agencies offering benefits like tax exemptions, housing assistance, career services, or health care to ask clients about veteran status and share this information (with strict privacy protections) to connect veterans to relevant support. The program would link agencies including the Department of Veterans' Services, housing authorities, tax offices, and health departments. This aims to streamline access to benefits without changing existing entitlements or creating new programs.
Requires the department of labor create and maintain a list of available careers and job openings for veterans in the state of New York and provide such list to the department of veterans' services; requires such list to be placed on the department of veterans' services website.
This bill creates a program allowing courts to offer veterans and active service members accused of certain non-violent felonies (excluding sex offenses and specific violent crimes) an alternative to standard sentencing. It requires courts to assess whether the individual's military service contributed to their crime through a court-approved evaluation for conditions like PTSD or substance abuse. If eligible, defendants receive treatment instead of jail time, with the court considering if their service-related condition played a role in the offense. The program aims to address gaps in mental health care for veterans within the criminal justice system.
Relates to providing veterans' housing; requires state agencies that provide shelter to homeless veterans to do so based on federal housing first principles without preconditions or barriers.
Grants a combat veteran tax credit for entrepreneurs to provide a five hundred dollar tax credit to combat veteran entrepreneurs who create a business in New York state.
S 3452 allows criminal cases involving eligible veterans to be transferred to a veterans treatment court within the same county or an adjacent county, expanding access for veterans facing charges in areas without such courts. The transfer requires the veteran's request, court approval, and the district attorney's consent, following a model used in drug courts. This change would immediately more than double the number of counties where veterans can access specialized treatment programs addressing underlying issues like mental health or substance abuse. The bill applies to pending felony cases in local criminal courts and aims to broaden New York's existing network of 20 veterans treatment courts.
S 4013 creates a state-funded peer support program for veterans, specifically targeting women veterans through regional or county-based services. It establishes credentialing requirements for veteran peer counselors (veterans with relevant training) and mandates state agencies to develop programs offering mental health support, substance abuse counseling, family services, and legal assistance. The bill requires the mental hygiene commissioner, addiction services agency, and veterans' services department to create training pathways and certification standards for peer counselors. This policy directly affects veterans seeking mental health and substance use support by connecting them with certified peers who share military service experience.
Relates to veterans' eligibility for public housing; expands eligibility requirements to include veterans of the recent conflicts; requires granting of a preference for public housing to veterans or families of veterans who have a military service connected disability.
