What's happening
This bill requires New York's Division of Veterans' Services to create a program advising veterans seeking upgrades to their military discharge status.
Why it matters
Creates a formal process for veterans in New York to receive expert, written support when seeking to upgrade their military discharge status. , which could improve their chances in federal review boards by providing credible advocacy.
Aims to reduce barriers for veterans with less-than-honorable discharges to access benefits, employment, and services. , since discharge status often affects eligibility for VA benefits, state programs, and even civilian job opportunities.
Increases transparency and accountability by requiring public reporting on the number of cases reviewed and those found meritorious. , helping policymakers and the public assess the impact and demand for discharge upgrade assistance.
Standardizes and publicizes support resources through the Division of Veterans’ Services website. , making it easier for veterans across New York to find help and understand their options for appealing their discharge status.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Help Veterans Upgrade Discharges
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Signed chap.481
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 43–19
- 3rd reading cal.1723
- Substituted for S6467
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.303
- Rules report cal.303
- Reported
Show 4 earlier actions
- Print number 8095a
- Amend (t) and recommit to rules
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to veterans' 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.
Help Vets Upgrade Discharges
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor John E. Brooks
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8095--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. BARRETT, D'URSO, BLAKE, CUSICK, ASHBY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs -- reported and referred to the Committee on Rules -- Rules Committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to directing the division of veterans' services to maintain a discharge upgrade advisory board program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 353 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 24 to read as follows:
24. To maintain a discharge upgrade advisory board program within the division to provide written non-binding advisory opinions to veterans of the state of New York appealing their character of discharge from the discharge review board or the board for corrections of military records for their branch of service on the federal level. Individuals may submit an application with evidence, including all relevant documents, which shall be reviewed by the discharge upgrade advisory board program in a timely manner. If such board finds the veteran's application for a discharge upgrade is meritorious, then the board will provide the veteran with a written opinion advocating for the discharge review board or board for corrections of military or naval records to grant that veteran's appeal. The division shall post information on the discharge upgrade advisory board program on its official webpage. The annual report required by subdivision eleven of this section shall contain information including, but not limited to, the number of cases reviewed, and the number of cases where a veteran's application was found to be meritorious.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13121-02-9
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.