Bill > S01185

This bill establishes a new fund called the "Congressional Chartered Veterans Service Organizations Fund" that allows individual taxpayers to voluntarily contribute whole dollar amounts on their New York state personal income tax returns starting in 2026. The fund is designed to support congressional chartered veterans service organizations that help veterans access benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the New York State Department of Veterans' Services. The fund will be jointly managed by the state comptroller and the commissioner of taxation and finance, with monies kept separate from other state funds. After legislative appropriation, the Department of Veterans' Services will distribute grants to eligible veterans service organizations. The bill requires annual reporting, including a detailed accounting of fund usage, with the state commissioner of veterans' services providing a comprehensive report each February to legislative leaders and the public, detailing fund disbursements, recipients, award amounts, purposes, and financial projections. Importantly, contributions to this fund will not reduce the amount of tax owed by individuals, and the fund is intended to provide additional support for veterans' services beyond existing state funding.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1185