BILL NUMBER: S212
SPONSOR: HELMING
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act establishing the veterans' memorials preservation act
 
PURPOSE:
This bill seeks to provide statutory protection for veterans' memorials
throughout New York State.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Cites the title of act to be known as the "Veterans' Memo-
rials Preservation Act"
Section 2: (a) provides the definition for a memorial; (b) provides the
definition for a public entity.
Section 3: States that memorials shall be preserved and open to the
public
Section 4: Establishes effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently there are no laws protecting veterans' memorials in New York
State. This omission has resulted in many veterans' memorials being
destroyed for short sighted and selfish reasons by persons with abject
disregard for the sacrifices of our veterans and the importance memo-
rials serve to preserve our history and our legacy of freedom.
This legislation would protect veterans' memorials, so that as time goes
by they would not be wantonly destroyed, deconstructed, desecrated,
altered, or moved. As a result, this legislation would also help to
guarantee that the valuable purpose veterans memorials serve in our
society would not be diminished.
It would further provide for the preservation of the military history of
New York State and the United States of America and insure that future
generations understand the significance of what our veterans did to
preserve the democracy and the freedoms we have today.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S.4525 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs/A.3658 referred to Veterans' Affairs
2021-2022: S.1322 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs/A.4414 held for consideration in Veterans' Affairs
2019-2020: S.158 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs/ A.7884 held for consideration in Veterans' Affairs
2018: S.7870 Passed Senate
2017: S.1111 Passed Senate
2016: S.4580 referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.