What's happening
This bill designates September 22 each year as "Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day" in New York State.
Why it matters
Highlights the urgent issue of veteran suicide. by officially recognizing it with a state commemoration, aiming to raise public awareness and reduce stigma around mental health challenges faced by veterans.
Encourages statewide remembrance and education initiatives. each year, which could foster community engagement, support prevention efforts, and prompt public institutions to address veteran mental health more actively.
Signals policy attention and potential future action. by putting veteran suicide on the state’s annual calendar, laying groundwork for additional resources, support programs, or legislative measures to address this crisis.
Provides an opportunity for families, advocates, and veterans themselves to be acknowledged and supported. , which may help promote healing, solidarity, and greater access to mental health resources.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Veteran Suicide Awareness Day
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.804
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to finance
- Referred to rules
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.
Honor Veteran Suicide Victims
In Assembly Committee · Governmental Operations · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6712
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
September 13, 2019
Introduced by Sen. METZGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing September twenty-second of each year as a day of commemoration known as "Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 168-a of the executive law, as amended by chapter 481 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
3. The following days shall be days of commemoration in each year: January sixth, to be known as "Haym Salomon Day", January twenty-seventh, to be known as "Holocaust Remembrance Day", February fourth, to be known as "Rosa Parks Day", February fifteenth, to be known as "Susan B. Anthony Day", February sixteenth, to be known as "Lithuanian Independence Day", February twenty-eighth, to be known as "Gulf War Veterans' Day", March fourth, to be known as "Pulaski Day", March tenth, to be known as "Harriet Tubman Day", March twenty-ninth, to be known as "Vietnam Veterans' Day", April ninth, to be known as "POW Recognition Day", April twenty-seventh, to be known as "Coretta Scott King Day", April twenty-eighth, to be known as "Workers' Memorial Day", the first Tuesday in May to be known as "New York State Teacher Day", May seventeenth, to be known as "Thurgood Marshall Day", the first Sunday in June, to be known as "Children's Day", June second, to be known as "Italian Independence Day", June twelfth, to be known as "Women Veterans Recognition Day", June nineteenth, to be known as "Juneteenth Freedom Day", June twenty-fifth, to be known as "Korean War Veterans' Day", August twentyfourth, to be known as "Ukrainian Independence Day", August twentysixth, to be known as "Women's Equality Day", September eleventh, to be known as "Battle of Plattsburgh Day" and also to be known as "September 11th Remembrance Day", September thirteenth, to be known as "John Barry
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13751-01-9
S. 6712 2
Day" and also to be known as "Uncle Sam Day in the State of New York", September seventeenth, to be known as "Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben Memorial Day", September twenty-second, to be known as "Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day", the third Friday in September to be known as "New York State POW/MIA Recognition Day" except if such date of commemoration cannot be observed due to a religious holiday, such observances shall then be conducted on the second Friday of September, the last Saturday in September, to be known as "War of 1812 Day", the fourth Saturday of September, known as "Native-American Day", the last Sunday in September, to be known as "Gold Star Mothers' Day", October fifth, to be known as "Raoul Wallenberg Day", October eleventh, to be known as "New Netherland Day in the State of New York", October eighteenth, to be known as "Disabilities History Day", October twenty-seventh, to be known as "Theodore Roosevelt Day", November ninth, to be known as "Witness for Tolerance Day", November twelfth, to be known as "Elizabeth Cady Stanton Day", the third Tuesday in November to be known as "New York State School-Related Professionals Recognition Day", November thirtieth, to be known as "Shirley Chisholm Day", December third, to be known as "International Day of Persons with Disabilities", December seventh, to be known as "Pearl Harbor Day", December sixteenth, to be known as "Bastogne Day" and that day of the Asian lunar calendar designated as new year to be known as "Asian New Year".
§ 2. 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 executive law, in relation to establishing September twenty-second of each year as a day of commem- oration known as "Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day"
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to designate September 22-d as "Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day."
Summary of provisions
Section 1 - Amends Section 168-a (3) of the executive law to add Septem- ber 22nd as "Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day."
Section 2 - Effective Date - Immediately.
Existing law
Under the existing law there are a number of days designated to commem- orate historical events, people, cultural or religious celebrations, and patriotic causes.
Justification
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs has previously reported that on average 22 veterans a day commit suicide. The rate of suicide among veterans was 1.4 times higher among male veterans and 1.8 times higher among female veterans when compared to the general adult popu- lation. In 2016 alone, 153 Veterans in New York committed suicide. This legislation designates September 22nd as "Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day." On this day New Yorkers will be called to remember that many of the wounds of war are unseen and persist long after the end of a veteran's military service. This day will honor the fallen and their families by bringing awareness to this issue and commemorating their service to our country.
If you are a veteran or know a veteran in need of help you may contact the Veteran Crisis line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone or send a text message to 838255 to connect with a Veterans Affair responder.
Legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.