S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7852
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 28, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' Affairs
 
 AN  ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to authorizing the divi-
   sion of veterans' affairs to provide eligible veterans with  financial
   assistance for purchasing, training and the upkeep of service dogs and
   emotional support dogs

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  368-a
 to read as follows:
   §  368-A.  SERVICE DOG AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG GRANT ASSISTANCE.  1.
 FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "SERVICE DOG" SHALL HAVE  THE
 SAME  MEANING AS PROVIDED FOR IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION FORTY-SEV-
 EN-B OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAW.
   2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "EMOTIONAL SUPPORT  DOG"
 SHALL MEAN A DOG PROVIDING THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT TO AN OWNER.
   3.  THE  DIVISION  SHALL  PROVIDE  ELIGIBLE  VETERANS  WITH: (A) GRANT
 ASSISTANCE OF UP TO SEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE PURCHASE
 AND TRAINING OF A SERVICE DOG FROM  AN  ORGANIZATION  PROVIDING  SERVICE
 DOGS  FOR  POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND/OR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY;
 OR (B) GRANT ASSISTANCE OF UP TO FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE  PURCHASE
 AND TRAINING OF A SERVICE DOG FROM A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE DOG TRAINER OR
 AN OWNER-TRAINER. THE DIVISION SHALL PROVIDE ELIGIBLE VETERANS RECEIVING
 GRANT ASSISTANCE PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION WITH AN AMOUNT OF NOT LESS
 THAN  FIFTY  DOLLARS A MONTH FOR THE CONTINUED UPKEEP OF THE SERVICE DOG
 AS LONG AS THE ELIGIBLE VETERAN IS IN POSSESSION OF THE SERVICE DOG.
   4. THE DIVISION SHALL PROVIDE ELIGIBLE VETERANS WITH GRANT  ASSISTANCE
 OF  UP  TO  FIVE  HUNDRED  DOLLARS  FOR  THE PURCHASE AND TRAINING OF AN
 EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG, AS WELL AS AN AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN THIRTY-FIVE
 DOLLARS A MONTH FOR THE CONTINUED UPKEEP OF THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG AS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05893-01-1
              

 A. 7852                             2
 
 LONG AS THE ELIGIBLE VETERAN IS IN POSSESSION OF THE  EMOTIONAL  SUPPORT
 DOG.
   5.  TO  BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE GRANT ASSISTANCE UNDER THIS SECTION, AN
 INDIVIDUAL MUST:
   (A) BE A VETERAN, WHICH, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, SHALL  MEAN
 RESIDENT  OF  THIS  STATE WHO SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES
 ARMY, NAVY, MARINE CORPS, AIR FORCE, COAST GUARD OR THE RESERVES  COMPO-
 NENT, OR WHO SERVED IN ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES AS A
 MEMBER OF THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, AIR NATIONAL GUARD, NEW YORK GUARD OR
 NEW YORK NAVAL MILITIA, WHO WAS RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE OTHER THAN BY
 DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE;
   (B)  RECEIVE  A DIAGNOSIS FROM A LICENSED PHYSICIAN OR LICENSED MENTAL
 HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, A TRAUMATIC BRAIN
 INJURY, OR BOTH, CAUSING A DISABILITY AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN  SUBDI-
 VISION TWENTY-ONE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINETY-TWO OF THIS CHAPTER;
   (C)  RECEIVE  A  LETTER  FROM  A LICENSED PHYSICIAN OR LICENSED MENTAL
 HEALTH PROVIDER CERTIFYING THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD  BENEFIT  FROM  THE
 USE OF A SERVICE DOG OR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG; AND
   (D) HAVE AN ANNUAL INCOME OF FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS OR LESS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.