Extends the expansion of eligibility for World Trade Center death and disability benefits for members of New York's organized militia, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   11538
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 1, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Lee) -- read
   once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the military law, in relation to extending the  expan-
   sion  of eligibility  for  World  Trade Center   death and  disability
   benefits for members of New York's organized militia

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 and paragraph (b) of  subdi-
 vision  2  of  section 217 of the military law, as added by section 1 of
 part J of chapter 55 of the  laws  of  2023,  are  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   (b) was activated on state active duty on or after September eleventh,
 two  thousand  one,  to  participate  in World Trade Center site rescue,
 recovery, or cleanup operations as part of such state active  duty,  and
 who  is  determined  to  have  incurred  a qualifying World Trade Center
 condition, as hereinafter provided, shall be entitled to  a  performance
 of  duty disability pension equivalent to three-quarters of the member's
 final annual pay as provided for under this chapter.  The  deadline  for
 submitting  any  qualifying  claim  under  this paragraph shall be on or
 before September eleventh, two thousand [twenty-six] THIRTY.  The  adju-
 tant general of the division of military and naval affairs is authorized
 to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section.
   (b) was activated on state active duty on or after September eleventh,
 two  thousand  one,  to  participate  in World Trade Center site rescue,
 recovery, or cleanup operations as part of such state active  duty,  and
 whose  death  is  determined  to be the result of incurring a qualifying
 World Trade Center condition, as  hereinafter  provided,  the  surviving
 spouse,  children  under  twenty-one years of age or dependent parent of
 such member of the organized militia shall be entitled to an  accidental
 death benefit equivalent to one-half of the member's final annual pay as
 provided  under this chapter. The deadline for submitting any qualifying
 claim under this paragraph shall be on or before September eleventh, two
 thousand [twenty-six] THIRTY.  The adjutant general of the  division  of
 military  and  naval  affairs is authorized to promulgate regulations to
 implement the provisions of this section.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD16036-01-6