What's happening
This bill allows New York taxpayers to voluntarily donate to a new fund aiding families of military personnel serving in combat zones during emergencies.
Why it matters
Provides targeted financial relief. By creating the HOME fund, the bill aims to deliver direct assistance to families facing sudden financial hardship while their loved ones are deployed in combat zones, addressing a specific gap that standard military benefits may not cover.
Relies on voluntary contributions. The legislation is structured so that funding for this aid comes entirely from New Yorkers who choose to donate via their state income tax forms, meaning support for military families depends on public goodwill rather than mandatory taxation.
Oversight and targeted use. The use of donated funds is strictly limited to helping families of active-duty military in combat zones during emergencies, with expenditures subject to audit and approval by the state’s adjutant general, promoting accountability and appropriate use.
Potential for rapid, need-based support. By requiring the Division of Military and Naval Affairs to spend the funds within the fiscal year they are received, the bill is designed to ensure timely assistance to families in crisis, rather than allowing donations to accumulate unused.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Taxpayers Donate to Troops
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 4269a
- Amend and recommit to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Let Taxpayers Aid Military Families
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Mary Beth Walsh
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4269--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 7, 2017
Introduced by Sen. TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs -- recommitted to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs in accordance with Senate Rule
6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the tax law and the state finance law, in relation to providing for taxpayer gifts for the Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund and establishing such fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 209-L to read as follows:
§ 209-L. Gift for Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME). Effective for any tax year commencing on or after January first, two thousand nineteen, a taxpayer in any taxable year may elect to contribute to the support of the Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund. Such contribution shall be in any whole dollar amount and shall not reduce the amount of the state tax owed by such taxpayer. The commissioner shall include space on the corporate income tax return to enable a taxpayer to make such contribution. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all revenues collected pursuant to this section shall be credited to the Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund and shall be used only for those purposes enumerated in section eighty-nine-i of the state finance law.
§ 2. The tax law is amended by adding a new section 630-f to read as follows:
§ 630-f. Gift for Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME). Effective for any tax year commencing on or after January first, two thousand nineteen, an individual in any taxable year may elect to contribute to the Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund. Such contribution
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06375-02-8
S. 4269--A 2
shall be in any whole dollar amount and shall not reduce the amount of state tax owed by such individual. The commissioner shall include space on the personal income tax return to enable a taxpayer to make such contribution. Notwithstanding any other provision of law all revenues collected pursuant to this section shall be credited to the Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund and used only for those purposes enumerated in section eighty-nine-i of the state finance law.
§ 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 89-i to read as follows:
§ 89-i. Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint custody of the commissioner of taxation and finance and the comptroller, a special fund to be known as the "Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund".
2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received by the department of taxation and finance, pursuant to the provisions of section two hundred nine-L and section six hundred thirty-f of the tax law and all other moneys appropriated, credited, or transferred thereto from any other fund or source pursuant to law. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the state from receiving grants, gifts or bequests for the purposes of the fund as defined in this section and depositing them into the fund according to law.
3. Monies of the fund shall be expended only to help families encountering financial emergencies while their loved ones are serving in a combat zone. As used in this section, "service in a combat zone" shall mean military service in an area designated by the president of the United States by executive order as a combat zone at any time during the period designated by the president by executive order as, the period of combatant activities in such zone.
4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the adjutant general of the division of military and naval affairs.
5. To the extent practicable, the division of military and naval affairs shall ensure that all monies received during a fiscal year are expended prior to the end of that fiscal year.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the tax law and the state finance law, in relation to providing for taxpayer gifts for the Helping Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund and establishing such fund
Purpose or general idea of bill
Provides for corporate franchise tax and personal income gifts for Help- ing Our Military in Emergencies (HOME) fund and establishes this fund.
Summary of specific provisions
1. Establishes the HOME fund.
2. This fund consists of revenue received by the Department of Taxation and Finance
3. Money in this fund will be given to families encountering financial emergencies while their loved ones are serving in a combat zone.
4. Money is payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of the comp- troller on vouchers approved and certified by the Adjutant General of the Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
5. The Division of Military and Naval Affairs shall ensure that all monies received during the fiscal year are expended prior to the end of the fiscal year.
Justification
The fund would be established by the State Division of Military and Naval Affairs and funded solely by taxpayers who wanted to donate by voluntarily checking a box that would appear on their state tax return. The money would be used to help families who are encountering financial emergencies while their loved ones are serving in the combat zone.
Prior legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.