What's happening
This bill grants veterans who served in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia combat veteran status for eligibility for related benefits.
Why it matters
Expands recognition for Somalia service. Veterans who served in Operation Restore Hope (Somalia, 1992–1994) would officially be recognized as combat veterans, acknowledging the risks and hardships they faced during this mission.
Unlocks additional benefits and privileges. By granting combat veteran status, the bill ensures these veterans become eligible for a range of state and possibly federal benefits—such as tax exemptions, education assistance, civil service preferences, and special healthcare provisions—previously limited to those with combat designations.
Addresses long-standing gaps in veteran support. The bill corrects a historical oversight, ensuring parity with veterans of other designated combat operations, and sends a message that all combat service, even outside the most publicized wars, is valued and supported by the state.
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Who cares
Veterans who served in Somalia during Operation Restore Hope
The bill would grant them combat-veteran status and eligibility for privileges or benefits available to combat veterans under state law.
Agencies administering combat-veteran benefits
They would have to recognize qualifying Operation Restore Hope veterans as eligible for those privileges and benefits.
Veterans’ advocates and benefits counselors
The bill would give them a new legal basis to help qualifying Somalia veterans seek combat-veteran privileges and benefits.
Headline styles
Somalia Vets Granted Combat Status
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
6 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to veterans' affairs
- Referred to veterans' affairs
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4403
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 2, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ, COLTON, GUNTHER, WEPRIN, M. G. MILLER, HOOPER, SANTABARBARA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to veterans who participated in operation restore hope in Somalia
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 368-a to read as follows:
§ 368-a. Operation restore hope; combat status. Any veteran of the armed forces who served in Somalia during operation restore hope shall, for the purposes of obtaining eligibility for any privilege or benefit granted to combat veterans pursuant to this chapter or any other provision of law, be granted the status of combat veteran and shall obtain eligibility for any such privilege or benefit.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08967-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.