What's happening
This bill allows a veteran's close friend or family member to request burial in a veterans' cemetery without prior written authorization.
Why it matters
Expands who can act on behalf of a veteran for burial decisions. , allowing close friends or relatives (not just legally designated representatives) to request burial in a veterans' cemetery if they're reasonably familiar with the veteran's wishes and can provide proof of military service.
Removes the prior requirement for written authorization. , making it easier and faster for loved ones to ensure a veteran’s burial preferences are honored, especially when no formal documentation or pre-arrangement exists.
Addresses situations where no immediate family or legal representative is available. , preventing delays or complications in honoring a veteran’s burial wishes and potentially reducing unclaimed or disputed remains.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Friends Request Vet Burials
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 127
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to veterans' affairs
- 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.
Let Friends Request Vet Burial
In Assembly Committee · Veterans' Affairs · Sponsor Samra Brouk
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
408
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE, BURDICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law and the public health law, in relation to authorizing a veteran's close friend or family member who is reasonably familiar with such veteran's wishes to request that such veteran be buried in a veterans' cemetery
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The veterans' services law is amended by adding a new section 27-a to read as follows:
§ 27-a. Burial rights of certain veterans. 1. For the purposes of this section, "agent in control of the disposition of remains" means the person responsible or designated to control the disposition of a deceased veteran's remains as defined and outlined in section forty-two hundred one of the public health law who has knowledge of a veteran's desire to be buried in a veterans' cemetery and can provide evidence of the military service of the decedent which shall be furnished in the manner and form prescribed by the state commissioner.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of local law, law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any agent in control of the disposition of remains may request that a deceased veteran be buried in a veterans' cemetery.
§ 2. Subparagraph (ix) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section 4201 of the public health law, as amended by chapter 401 of the laws of 2007, is amended to read as follows:
(ix) a close friend or relative who is reasonably familiar with the decedent's wishes, including the decedent's religious or moral beliefs, when no one higher on this list is reasonably available, willing, or competent to act[, provided that such person has executed a written statement pursuant to subdivision seven of this section]; or
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01504-01-5
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.