New York S 7708: Establishes a veterans' bill of rights

Bill Text

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S07708 Summary:

BILL NOS07708B

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A06559-C

&nbsp

SPONSORFERNANDEZ

&nbsp

COSPNSRADDABBO, ASHBY, RHOADS, ROLISON

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §29-f, Veterans' Services L

&nbsp

Establishes a veterans' bill of rights; provides sample language for such bill of rights; requires the department of veterans' services to establish and distribute a veterans' bill of rights and to make such bill of rights available on the department's website.

Go to top S07708 Actions:

BILL NOS07708B

&nbsp

05/01/2025REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

05/20/2025AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

05/20/2025PRINT NUMBER 7708A

01/07/2026REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

03/05/2026AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

03/05/2026PRINT NUMBER 7708B

05/18/20261ST REPORT CAL.1161

05/19/20262ND REPORT CAL.

05/20/2026ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 

06/02/2026SUBSTITUTED BY A6559C

&nbspA06559 AMEND=C Benedetto

&nbsp03/06/2025referred to veterans' affairs

&nbsp05/05/2025amend and recommit to veterans' affairs

&nbsp05/05/2025print number 6559a

&nbsp05/15/2025amend and recommit to veterans' affairs

&nbsp05/15/2025print number 6559b

&nbsp05/19/2025reported referred to rules

&nbsp05/21/2025reported 

&nbsp05/21/2025rules report cal.225

&nbsp05/21/2025ordered to third reading rules cal.225

&nbsp05/21/2025passed assembly

&nbsp05/21/2025delivered to senate

&nbsp05/21/2025REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

&nbsp01/07/2026DIED IN SENATE

&nbsp01/07/2026RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

&nbsp01/07/2026ordered to third reading cal.164

&nbsp01/12/2026amended on third reading 6559c

&nbsp02/26/2026passed assembly

&nbsp02/26/2026delivered to senate

&nbsp02/26/2026REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

&nbsp06/02/2026SUBSTITUTED FOR S7708B

&nbsp06/02/20263RD READING CAL.1161

&nbsp06/02/2026PASSED SENATE

&nbsp06/02/2026RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY

Go to topS07708 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS07708 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS07708 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 7708--B

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 May 1, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. FERNANDEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
 ty and Military Affairs -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
 reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted
 to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
 in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill
 amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
 tee

 AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to the estab-
 lishing a veterans' bill of rights

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The veterans' services law is amended by adding a new
 2 section 29-f to read as follows:
 3 § 29-f. Veterans' bill of rights. 1. The department shall establish,
 4 print, publish and distribute a veterans' bill of rights. Such bill of
 5 rights shall include the following or substantially similar text
 6 describing the existing rights of veterans under current law:
 7 "VETERANS' BILL OF RIGHTS
 8 You as a veteran have a right:
 9 1. To apply for veterans' benefits for which you may be eligible;
 10 2. To receive assistance from your local state veterans' service agen-
 11 cy and all offices of the New York state department of veterans'
 12 services;
 13 3. To receive, upon request, an explanation of any services and bene-
 14 fits available under federal and New York state laws, rules and regu-
 15 lations;
 16 4. To receive written notice and an explanation of the approval or
 17 denial of your application for benefits available through the New York
 18 state department of veterans' services;
 19 5. To be treated with dignity and respect;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD09703-07-6

 S. 7708--B 2

 1 6. To appeal, subject to applicable law, an adverse d