New York Senate Bill S02290

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/25
• Refer: 1/16/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Requires all forms issued to the public by the state include an optional question regarding veteran status and whether the person completing the form would consent to the agency sharing their contact information with regards to resources available to veterans.

Summary

S02290 would amend New York’s Veterans’ Services Law to require that any form created by a state department, division, board, bureau, commission, office, agency, authority, or public corporation and made available to the public include two optional questions. The first would ask whether the person completing the form is a veteran or lives with a veteran. The second would ask whether the person consents to the agency sharing their contact information with the Department of Veterans’ Services for outreach about resources available to veterans. The bill is designed to create a statewide mechanism for identifying veterans and households connected to veterans, while also allowing agencies to connect willing respondents with veteran services and benefits information. It applies broadly to public-facing state forms, which could affect a wide range of agencies and administrative processes. The bill takes effect on January 1 following enactment, with any necessary implementing rules or regulations authorized in advance of that date.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would add a new section 29-c to the Veterans’ Services Law and impose a new form-design requirement on state entities that issue public forms. State agencies and public corporations would need to revise forms to include the veteran-status and consent questions, and potentially update data collection, privacy, and referral procedures. The practical effect would be to expand the state’s ability to identify veterans and connect them to services, while creating an administrative obligation for agencies to implement the new questions consistently across forms.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a supportive veterans’ outreach initiative rather than a controversial policy change. There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, so no formal opposition or support can be measured from proceedings. The overall tone of the bill is pro-veteran and administrative, emphasizing voluntary identification and service referral.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are likely to be privacy, data-sharing, and administrative burden. The bill asks agencies to collect veteran-status information and, with consent, share contact information with the veterans’ department, which could raise concerns about how personal data is stored and used. Another possible issue is the scope of the mandate, since it applies to all public-facing forms across state government and may require substantial form redesign and compliance work. No specific stakeholders or objections are identified in the provided transcripts or voting record.