What's happening
This bill requires New York to refer veterans who request a veteran notation on their driver's license to veterans' services for benefits information.
Why it matters
Connects Veterans to Benefits. By referring veterans who request a notation on their driver’s license to the state Division of Veterans’ Services, the bill increases the likelihood that veterans will learn about and access federal and state benefits they may not otherwise know about or claim.
Protects Privacy While Sharing Information. The bill ensures that veterans’ personal information, shared for the purpose of referral, is protected under state privacy laws and can only be used to assist the veteran, not for unrelated purposes—addressing privacy concerns while enabling outreach.
Creates Active Outreach Program. By establishing a veterans’ public engagement unit, the bill aims to proactively contact veterans (not just passively provide information), which could improve benefit uptake and support for veterans and their families.
Standardizes Cross-Agency Identification. The bill requires multiple agencies to ask about veteran status and coordinate with the Division of Veterans’ Services, potentially leading to more consistent identification of veterans across state services and reducing missed opportunities for assistance.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Veterans Get License Benefit Info
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Committed to rules
- Amend by restoring to original print 1026
- Vote reconsidered - restored to third reading
- Returned to senate
- Recalled from assembly
- Referred to agriculture
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Amended on third reading 1026a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
Show 2 earlier actions
- 1st report cal.51
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1026
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2019
Introduced by Sens. RIVERA, KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the executive law, in relation to enabling veterans and reservists to receive benefit information upon applying for or renewing a driver's license
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 508 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
6. The commissioner, in consultation with the director of the division of veterans' affairs, is directed to establish a process by which the department shall refer driver's license and non-driver identification card applicants requesting and obtaining a notation upon such license or non-driver identification card that he or she is a veteran of the United States armed forces pursuant to subdivision three of section four hundred ninety of this chapter or subdivision one of section five hundred two of this article, upon his or her request, to the division of veterans' affairs, consistent with the provisions of section three hundred fifty-four-a of the executive law.
§ 2. Section 354-a of the executive law, as amended by section 95 of subpart B of part C of chapter 62 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
§ 354-a. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance. Departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assistance, treatment, counseling, care, supervision or custody in service areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice or employment, including but not limited to the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, office of mental health, office of probation and correctional alternatives, office of children and family services, office of temporary and disability assistance, department of health,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00712-01-9
S. 1026 2
department of labor, local workforce investment boards, office for people with developmental disabilities, and department of corrections and community supervision, shall request assisted persons to provide information with regard to their veteran status and military experiences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans, including individuals requesting and obtaining a veterans notation on their driver's license or non-driver identification card pursuant to sections four hundred ninety and five hundred two of the vehicle and traffic law, shall be advised that the division of veterans' affairs and local veterans' service agencies established pursuant to section three hundred fifty-seven of this article provide assistance to veterans regarding benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding veterans status and military service provided by assisted persons solely to implement this section shall be protected as personal confidential information under article six-A of the public officers law against disclosure of confidential material, and used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling of the veteran's problems within the agency requesting such information and in referring the veteran to the division of veterans' affairs for information and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements under federal and state law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the executive law, in relation to enabling veterans and reservists to receive benefit informa- tion upon applying for or renewing a driver's license
Purpose or general idea of bill
Enables veterans or reservists to receive benefit information upon applying for or renewing a drivers license.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended. to ensure the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of NYS provides a space on the applica- tion for a drivers license to enable any applicant who is a veteran of the military or naval service of the United States, or a reservist in one of the reserved components of the armed forces listed in 10 U.S.C. 10101 to register to receive information from the division of veterans' affairs by email or telephone regarding benefits to which such applicant may be entitled. Additionally, information on the veteran's status is protected and shall not be disclosed to any person or entity other than the division of veterans' affairs and shall be exempt from subdivision 2 of section 87 of the public officers law.
Read the full memo (719 words)
Section 508 of the VTL is amended ensure the Commissioner of Motor Vehi- cles appoints agents to collect, store and make available to the divi- sion of veterans' affairs the name and contact information of a veteran applicant who requests to receive benefit information from the division of veteran affairs.
Section 353 of the executive law referencing the general functions, powers and duties of the division of veteran affairs is amended to include coordinating with the department of motor vehicles to retrieve the name and veterans, including those reservists who served in one of the reserved components of the armed forces listed in 10 U.S.C. § 10101, who are applying for or renewing their drivers licenses and who request to be contacted by the division via. email, telephone, or mail. Addi- tionally, information on the veteran's status is protected and shall not be disclosed to any person or entity other than the division of veter- ans' affairs and shall be exempt from subdivision 2 of section 87 of the public officers law.
Section 490 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended to ensure the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles of NYS provides a space on the applica- tion for a non-driver identification card to enable any applicant who is a veteran of the military or naval service of the United States, or a reservist in one of the reserved components of the armed forces listed in 10 U.S.C. 9 10101 to register to receive information from the divi- sion of veterans' affairs by email or telephone regarding benefits to which such applicant may be entitled. Additionally, information on the veteran's status is protected and shall not be disclosed to any person or entity other than the division of veterans' affairs and shall be exempt from subdivision 2 of section 87 of the public officers law.
Justification
This legislation would allow veterans to voluntarily identify their veteran status when applying for or renewing their driver's license. At no cost to taxpayers, Vets Connect utilizes the DMV as an intake point to gather information on veterans not currently in the state system. The department of motor vehicles collects, stores, and makes this informa- tion available to the division of veteran affairs which would provide information about the benefits to which they may be entitled. NYS Department of Motor Vehicles would work with the Division of Veteran Affairs to share information to relay benefit updates for the veterans. The information gathering would happen when veterans go to apply for or renew their drivers license. By checking a box on the application indi- cating they are a veteran of naval forces or military they are also giving the department of motor vehicles permission to share information with the division of veteran affairs and have information distributed to him or her via email, telephone, and mail.
Fiscal implications
Negligible.
Effective date
This act shall take effect 120 days after it shall have become a law. Provided, however, that effective immediately any actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are author- ized and directed to be completed on or before such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.