Declares the Vietnam Veterans of America to be benevolent orders

Summary of provisions

Sections one and two of the bill add the Vietnam Veterans of America to the list of organizations contained within the benevolent orders law.

Section three of the bill amends section 77 of the general municipal law to specify the Vietnam Veterans of America as one of the organizations entitled to lease their post to a municipal corporation.

Section four of the bill amends section 13 of the general city law to include the Vietnam Veterans of America in the list of organizations to whom moneys may be appropriated for the observance of Memorial and Veterans days.

Section five of the bill amends section 24 of the military law to expand the jurisdiction of the bureau of war records to include the completion and preservation of the records and relics of the Vietnam Veterans of America. Further, this section authorizes the adjutant general to accept statements and information duly authenticated by them, in order to make as complete as possible the records, history and statistics of the patriotic service of the soldiers of the state during the wars in which the state participated.

Section six of the bill amends section 183 of the military law to include the Vietnam Veterans of America within the list of veterans' organizations that may apply to use an armory of the organized militia designated by the adjutant general for regular and special meetings and organizational social events without charge, provided that such does not interfere with the members and units of the organized militia stationed in such armory.

Section seven of the bill amends section 452 of the real property tax law by specifically stating that the Vietnam Veterans of America is included under "Veterans organizations," in addition to any other corporation or association of veterans of the armed forces of the United States in any war.

Section eight of the bill amends the public buildings law by adding a new section 5-b that requires the commissioner of general services to set aside, when available, suitably furnished space in the capitol for the quarters of the Vietnam Veterans of America, department of New York, in the transaction of its business and preservation of its records.

Section nine establishes that this act shall take effect immediately.

Justification

A resolution by the New York State Legislature recognizing Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans day observed that "the Vietnam War was an extremely divisive issue among the people of the United States and a conflict that caused a generation of veterans to wait too long for the United States public to acknowledge and honor the efforts and services of such veterans. Members of the United States Armed Forces who served bravely and faithfully for the United States during the Vietnam War were often wrongly criticized for the policy decisions made by four presidential administrations in the United States."

Today more than ever, a seamless transition from military life to civilian life is critical. Many of the programs, systems and benefits provided to help veterans were designed for other eras, and new veterans organizations have arisen to create a new identity for this generation of veterans.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), founded in 1978, is the only national veterans' organization congressionally chartered and exclusively dedicated to serving Vietnam-era veterans and their families. The VVA's goals are to promote and support the full range of issues important to Vietnam veterans, to create a new identity for this generation of veterans, and to change public perception of Vietnam veterans, according to their website.

With over 50,000 individual members and dozens of local chapters in New York, local VVA posts do not currently enjoy the same degree of benefits as other veterans' organizations. While the VVA does receive some of the benefits available to other veterans' organizations, such as tax exemptions and the ability to obtain a liquor license, there are other privileges to which the VVA should be entitled but does not receive. Other veterans' organizations have various other services available to them, such as storage of records, flags, relics, and other memorabilia for prominent display within the hallowed halls of the nation's most beautiful State Capitol. This legislation will ensure that this organization is afforded the same benefits as other veterans' organizations in New York State so they can better support the next generation of America's war veterans and continue to serve our communities.

Legislative history

New bill

Fiscal implications

None to the state

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.