SENATE PASSES LEGISLATION TO HELP DISABLED VETERANS

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I - Schenectady) and his colleagues in the New York State Senate recently passed legislation (S.2423) that would give greater access to state contracts to veterans who were disabled during their service.

This bill would codify for New York an identical and highly successful program adopted for federal contracting. Given the increase in the number of veterans and disabled veterans due to recent overseas conflicts, this bill would provide a small measure of recognition that this group of selfless men and women deserve.

The legislation would require that state agencies provide the opportunity for service-disabled veterans’ businesses to obtain state contracts. It would establish a goal of having small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans to comprise a minimum of 3 percent of the agency’s contracts. The bill also details the implementation and reporting standards to help state agencies comply with the requirement, and task various commissioners, deputy commissioners, and the Attorney General with supporting the implementation of this preference.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.