BILL NUMBER: S5124
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to providing
certain support for veterans to help alter their discharged status
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Relates to aiding veterans that were wrongfully discharged from military
service due to their sexual orientation, to upgrade their discharge
status.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 4 of the Veterans Services Law is amended by adding a new subdi-
vision. 38.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, an esti-
mated 100,000 men and women were dishonorably or administratively
discharged from the U.S., military due to their sexual orientation,
including an estimated 14,000 service members who were discharged under
"don't ask, don't tell," during the 17 years that it was in effect.
A veteran that is dishonorably discharged from the military is not enti-
tled to benefits such as V.A. loans, tuition assistance, health care and
federal jobs.
The only way to correct this discriminatory practice is to request a
discharge upgrade from the Department of Defense. This is a long and
arduous process that is difficult to achieve. To date, only 12,472
veterans that were discharged solely because of their sexual orien-
tation, were granted an upgrade in their discharge status. This is unac-
ceptable.
Therefore, our state government is morally obligated to assist our
veterans that were unjustly discriminated against and provide legal and
technical support when they attempt to upgrade their discharge status.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S7201
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after,it shall
have become a law