Allows veterans who performed military service during a period of war to ride public transportation free of charge for the year immediately after his or her return to this state.

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S4153-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS
• Mar 21, 2011: REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

S4153-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S4153

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the military law, in relation to allowing certain veterans to
ride public transportation free of charge

PURPOSE:
To allow Honorably Discharged Veterans who served in a period
of war to receive--free of charge--rides from every transportation
provider in New York State.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
A new Section 245-a is added to the Military
Law to provide that for a period of one year commencing after an
honorable discharge, a Veteran is entitled to receive 'free' rides on
every transportation provider utilizing public funds in New York
State. The Commissioner of the Department of Transportation is
authorized to promulgate regulations to carry this legislative
initiative into effect.

JUSTIFICATION:
It is quite clear that, at least in this life, we will
never be able to adequately reward our Veterans for their years of
absolutely purposeful sacrifice and forthrightly honorable service,
not only to our country and state, but to every individual
constituent part therein. It is entirely reasonable to extend this
small modicum of courtesy, i.e., free public transportation for one
year, to our War Veterans.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.4135 of 2005/06; Referred to Veterans, Homeland
Security and Military Affairs

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
On the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become law.

S4153-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    4153

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                               March 21, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen.  SMITH  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
    ty and Military Affairs

  AN ACT to amend the military law, in relation to allowing certain veter-
    ans to ride public transportation free of charge

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section  1.  The military law is amended by adding a new section 245-a
  to read as follows:

    S 245-A. FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION; CERTAIN WAR VETERANS.    NOTWITH-
  STANDING  ANY  OTHER  PROVISIONS  OF LAW OR THE TERMS OF ANY CONTRACT, A
  RESIDENT OF THE STATE WHO IS A HONORABLY DISCHARGED MEMBER OF ANY BRANCH
  OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES WHO PERFORMED MILITARY  SERVICE
  DURING A PERIOD OF WAR SHALL BE ENTITLED, FOR THE YEAR IMMEDIATELY AFTER
  HIS OR HER RETURN TO THIS STATE FROM SUCH MILITARY SERVICE, TO RIDE FREE
  OF  CHARGE  ON  EVERY TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER IN THIS STATE. THE COMMIS-
  SIONER OF TRANSPORTATION IS  AUTHORIZED  TO  PROMULGATE  REGULATIONS  TO
  CARRY  OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION,
  "TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER" SHALL MEAN ANY PUBLIC, PRIVATE OR NOT-FOR-PRO-
  FIT ENTITY UTILIZING PUBLIC FUNDS TO  PROVIDE  OR  CONTRACT  FOR  PUBLIC
  TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR SPECIF-
  IC CLIENT GROUPS.
    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
  it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
  ly,  the  addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation
  necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective  date  are
  authorized  and  directed  to  be  made  and completed on or before such
  effective date.


   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD04026-01-1