S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3149
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 2, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HUNTER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' Affairs
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to authorizing
   the department of veterans' services 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 veterans' services law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 29-b to read as follows:
   §  29-B.  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  DEPARTMENT  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 DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE ELIGIBLE VETERANS RECEIV-
 ING  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  DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE ELIGIBLE VETERANS WITH GRANT ASSIST-
 ANCE 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.
                                                            LBD07812-01-3
 A. 3149                             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 THE EXECUTIVE
 LAW;
   (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; provided however, if section 2 of part PP of
 chapter 56 of the laws of 2022 shall not have taken effect on or  before
 such  date,  this act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
 manner as such section of such part of such chapter of the laws of  2022
 takes  effect.  Effective  immediately,  the  addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such effective date.