Bill > A00164

This bill establishes a military pro bono legal assistance program in New York, designed to provide free legal services to active military service members, those deployed for duty (excluding training), and their family members who are domiciled or stationed in the state. The program will cover a wide range of legal areas, including civil law, family law, estate planning, employment law, immigration law, debtor-creditor law, and military administrative law. The Attorney General, in consultation with the Adjutant General and the chair of the New York Interest on Lawyer Account Fund (IOLA), will be responsible for creating and overseeing the program. The bill also creates a Military Family Legal Assistance Advisory Committee composed of representatives from military legal offices, veterans' organizations, and legal aid groups to provide guidance on program design, volunteer recruitment, and service priorities. The program can receive grants and donations, which will be deposited into the IOLA fund specifically for this purpose. The Attorney General is authorized to develop necessary rules and regulations to implement the program, with the goal of providing crucial legal support to military personnel and their families.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A164