What's happening
This bill removes the seven-year limit on military service time deducted from age requirements for public employment in all cities, including those with over one million residents.
Why it matters
Expands veteran employment opportunities. By removing the seven-year cap on military service time that can be deducted from age limits, more veterans—especially those with longer service records—will become eligible for public employment or promotions, including in large cities like New York City.
Addresses age discrimination for long-serving military personnel. Veterans who served longer than seven years often aged out of eligibility for certain public jobs; this bill corrects that, potentially making the public sector more accessible to older veterans.
Standardizes veteran hiring practices statewide. Previously, large cities (over one million residents) and smaller municipalities may have had different rules. Now, all public employers across New York must apply the same, unlimited deduction for military service, promoting consistency and fairness.
Could increase the pool of experienced candidates. The change enables public employers to consider applicants with extensive military backgrounds, potentially enriching public agencies with seasoned leadership and diverse skills gained from longer military careers.
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Who cares
Public employees absent on military duty
The bill would clarify that the seven-year cap on military-service time deducted when computing age applies to any public-service position with maximum-age requirements.
Military veterans seeking public-service jobs or promotions
Qualifying military duty and terminal leave would remain excluded from age calculations, subject to the seven-year limit.
Civil service commissions and public employers
The bill would clarify the cap they apply when determining age eligibility for examinations, appointments and promotions.
New York City agencies and job candidates
The bill would expressly include positions in cities with at least one million residents within the same seven-year cap.
Headline styles
Military Service Promotion Age Fix
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.72
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.433
- Substituted for A8972
- Referred to governmental employees
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.94
- 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.
Protect Military Service Promotions
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Felix Ortiz
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7170
IN SENATE
January 10, 2020
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the military law, in relation to age requirements applicable to appointments or promotions of public employees who have been absent on military duty
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 10-a of section 243 of the military law, as separately amended by chapter 484 of the laws of 2019 and a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the military law relating to age requirements applicable to appointments or promotions of public employees who have been absent on military duty, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 6483 and A. 8348, is amended to read as follows:
10-a. Age requirements. If maximum age requirements are established by law, or rule or by action of a civil commission for examination for, or for appointment or promotion to, any position in the public service, the period of military duty as hereinbefore defined, the period of service after June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty, voluntarily entered upon between January first, nineteen hundred forty-seven, and June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty, if such service otherwise falls within the definition of military duty, and the period of terminal leave granted by the military authorities of a candidate or eligible shall not be included in computing the age of such candidate or eligible for the purposes of such examination or appointment or promotion; provided, however, that neither shall the total time deducted hereunder in computing the age of a candidate or eligible exceed seven years[, except that] for any position including, but not limited to, in cities with a population of one million or more[, the total time deducted shall not exceed seven years].
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the military law in relation to age requirements applicable to appointments or promotions of public employees who have been absent on military duty, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 6483 and A. 8348, takes effect.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13348-02-0
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the military law, in relation to age requirements appli- cable to appointments or promotions of public employees who have been absent on military duty
Purpose
This is a chapter amendment that makes changes to provisions of L.2019, c.570.
Summary of provisions
This legislation amends the underlying chapter to clarify that its provisions apply statewide, including in New York City.
Justification
Pursuant to approval memo 23 of 2019, the Executive sought an amendment which would clarify that the benefit applies statewide, including in New York City. This chapter amendment provides that clarification.
Legislative history
Chapter amendment to Chapter 570 of the Laws of 2019.
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the military law in relation to age requirements applicable to appointments or promotions of public employees who have been absent on military duty, as proposed in legisla- tive bills numbers S. 6483 and A. 8348, takes effect.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.