A 55: Includes veterans in the definition of military status to protect veterans from being unlawfully discriminated against.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 55 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to adding veterans to protected classes for unlawful housing discrimination The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 296 of the executive law is amended by adding a new 2 subdivision 2-b to read as follows: 3 2-b. (a) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for the 4 owner, lessee, sub-lessee, assignee, or managing agent of publicly-as- 5 sisted housing accommodations or other person having the right of owner- 6 ship or possession of or the right to rent or lease such accommodations 7 to refuse to sell, rent or lease or otherwise to deny to or withhold 8 from any person or group of persons such housing accommodations because 9 of such person's status as a veteran. 10 (b) For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "veteran" means a 11 person who served on active duty in the uniformed services of the United 12 States, or in the army national guard, air national guard, or service as 13 a commissioned officer in the public health service, commissioned offi- 14 cer of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration or environ- 15 mental sciences services administration, or cadet at a United States 16 armed forces service academy, and who has been released from such 17 service. 18 § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 296 of the executive law is amended by 19 adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows: 20 (h) (1) It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any person 21 offering or providing housing accommodations, land or commercial space 22 as described in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this subdivision to 23 refuse to sell, rent or lease any housing accommodation, land or commer- 24 cial space to any person because of such person's status as a veteran. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00532-01-5 
 A. 55 2 1 (2) For the purposes of this paragraph, the term "veteran" means a 2 person who served on active duty in the uniformed services of the United 3 States, or in the army national guard, air national guard, or service as 4 a commissioned officer in the public health service, commissioned offi- 5 cer of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration or environ- 6 mental sciences services administration, or cadet at a United States 7 armed forces service academy, and who has been released from such 8 service. 9 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.