Add Space Force to Benefits

Section 1. Section 13-a of the general construction law, as amended by section 60 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:

§ 13-a. Armed forces of the United States. "Armed forces of the United States" means the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force and coast guard including all components thereof, and the national guard when in the service of the United States pursuant to call as provided by law. Pursuant to this definition no person shall be considered a member or veteran of the armed forces of the United States unless [his or her] such member or veteran's service therein is or was on a full-time active duty basis, other than active duty for training or [he or she] such member or veteran was employed by the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a merchant seaman documented by the United States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States Army Transportation

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD00229-03-5

Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further to include "near foreign" voyages between the United States and Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of Defense or [he or she] the member or veteran served as a United States civilian employed by the American Field Service and served overseas under United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and (i) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or [he or she] the member or veteran served as a United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas as a result of Pan American's contract with Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and (iv) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or (v) has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (vi) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.

§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 10-102 of the election law, as amended by chapter 104 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:

1. "Military service" means the military service of the state, or of the United States, including the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force, coast guard, merchant marine and all components thereof, and the coast and geodetic survey, the public health service, the national guard when in the service of the United States pursuant to call as provided by law, and the cadets or midshipmen of the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, United States Air Force Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, and United States Coast Guard Academy.

§ 3. Subsection (a) of section 3435-a of the insurance law, as amended by chapter 416 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Insurers shall be prohibited from refusing to issue a motor vehicle liability insurance policy to any person with a valid New York state driver's license which has been maintained by such person for at least thirty-nine months prior to the time of application for such policy of insurance solely on the basis that such person has not owned or leased a vehicle during such period, unless such decision is based on sound underwriting and actuarial principles reasonably related to actual or anticipated loss experience. Provided, however, that an applicant demonstrating a continuous, valid out-of-state or out-of-country driver's license during such thirty-nine month period due to active service in the United States army, navy, air force, space force or marines shall be treated as if continuous licensing had been maintained in New York and such person shall not be rejected based solely on the fact that [he or she] such person served in the military.

§ 4. Subdivisions 3, 4 and 8 of section 1 of the military law, as amended by chapter 112 of the laws of 1989, are amended to read as follows:

3. The terms "military" and "military and naval" shall mean army or land, air or air force, space force or space and navy or naval.

4. The terms "military or naval" and "military (including air) or naval" shall mean army or land, air or air force, space force or space or navy or naval.

8. The terms "active military service of the United States" and "in the armed forces of the United States" shall mean full time duty in the army, navy [(including], marine corps[)], air force, space force or coast guard of the United States.

§ 5. Paragraph a and subparagraph 2 of paragraph b of subdivision 1 of section 214 of the military law, paragraph a as added by chapter 853 of the laws of 1953 and subparagraph 2 of paragraph b as amended by chapter 625 of the laws of 1965, are amended to read as follows:

a. has been a commissioned officer in active service for at least twenty years in the organized militia of the state of New York or in the army, air force, space force, navy or marine corps of the United States for at least twenty years and

(2) for ten consecutive years of such service immediately preceding [his] such officer's retirement and transfer to the state retired list as provided in this chapter, if [he] such officer has had actual combat experience in time of war while in the army, air force, space force, navy or marine corps of the United States or if [he] such officer has served on the active list of a force or forces of the organized militia for at least ten years as an enlisted [man] person and at least thirty years as a commissioned officer, shall receive annually from the date of [his] such officer's retirement and transfer to the state retired list as provided in this chapter and during the time [he] such officer remains on the state retired list seventy-five per centum of the highest annual rate of compensation paid to [him] such officer by the state for the performance of military or naval duty.

§ 6. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 243 of the military law, as amended by section 71 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows: