New York State Assembly

 
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A09351 Summary:

A09351 Actions:

A09351 Committee Votes:

Committee:TRANSPORTATION   Chair:Magnarelli      
DATE:03/24/2026AYE/NAY:24/0  Action: Favorable refer to committee Ways and Means        
Magnarelli
Aye
Miller
Aye
Lupardo
Aye
McDonough
Excused
Simon
Aye
DeStefano
Aye
Williams
Aye
Durso
Aye
McMahon
Aye
Giglio
Aye
Gallagher
Aye
Slater
Aye
Mitaynes
Aye
Bendett
Aye
De Los Santos
Aye
Chludzinski
Aye
Cunningham
Excused
Alvarez
Aye
Shrestha
Aye
Shimsky
Aye
Eachus
Aye
Burroughs
Aye
Wright
Aye
Valdez
Aye
Romero
Aye
Hooks
Aye

Committee:WAYS AND MEANS   Chair:Pretlow      
DATE:04/21/2026AYE/NAY:34/0  Action: Favorable         
Pretlow
Aye
Palmesano
Aye
Glick
Aye
Fitzpatrick
Aye
Colton
Aye
Hawley
Aye
Cook
Excused
Blankenbush
Aye
Benedetto
Aye
Walsh
Aye
Weprin
Aye
DeStefano
Aye
Ramos
Aye
Manktelow
Aye
Braunstein
Aye
Smullen
Aye
McDonald
Aye
Giglio
Aye
Rozic
Aye
Slater
Aye
Dinowitz
Aye
Magnarelli
Aye
Bronson
Aye
Dilan
Aye
Seawright
Aye
Hyndman
Aye
Walker
Aye
Bichotte Hermel
Aye
Simon
Aye
Cruz
Aye
Otis
Aye
Solages
Aye
Hunter
Aye
Septimo
Aye
Hevesi
Aye

A09351 Floor Votes:

A09351 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)



 
BILL NUMBER: A9351AREVISED 4/28/26
 
SPONSOR: Magnarelli

 
TITLE OF BILL:
 
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
of license plates for disabled veterans
 
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
 
Section 1 adds an additional eligibility clause for a Universal Symbol
of Access license plate to veterans who are 100% disabled by the VA.
 
Section 2 establishes an effective date.
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:
 
Currently, New York State does not automatically recognize a veteran's
100% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
as an immediate qualifier for a license plate bearing the Universal
Symbol of Access. Although a physician may certify a veteran as 100%
disabled according to VA standards, the New York State Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) uses a separate application form and criteria that
do not align with federal standards. This misalignment creates incon-
sistencies between the DMV's definition of a "Severely Disabled Person"
and the VA's established determinations.
 
Veterans who have received a 100% service-connected disability rating
have already undergone extensive medical evaluations and have been
deemed eligible for all necessary accommodation. Yet, despite these
federal determinations, they are often required to navigate redundant
and conflicting state-Level processes to obtain basic accessibility
benefits. For individuals who already endure life-altering injuries and
persistent health challenges, these bureaucratic hurdles impose unneces-
sary hardship. Access to parking and mobility accommodations through the
Universal Symbol of Access is not a privilege, it is a necessity for
disabled veterans.
 
This bill corrects these discrepancies by recognizing VA disability
ratings as sufficient proof of eligibility, ensuring consistency between
state and federal standards. It also relieves doctors of the burden of
re-certifying disabilities already verified by the VA.  Physicians are
currently required to interpret DMV standards that may not match their
medical records or VA documentation, creating confusion and additional
paperwork. By streamlining the process and eliminating duplicative
certifications, this legislation reduces administrative pressure on
medical professionals, lowers liability risk, and allows doctors to
focus their time and expertise on providing care rather than navigating
unnecessary bureaucracy.
 
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
 
New Bill.
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
 
TBD.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after becoming law.

A09351 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         9351--A
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    December 19, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  MAGNARELLI  -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Transportation -- recommitted to the Committee on  Trans-
          portation  in  accordance  with  Assembly  Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
          discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
          to said committee

        AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
          of license plates for disabled veterans
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Paragraphs (c) and (d) of subdivision 4 of section 404-a of
     2  the  vehicle  and  traffic law, as amended by chapter 376 of the laws of
     3  2015, are amended and a new paragraph (e) is added to read as follows:
     4    (c) Has a physical or mental impairment or condition  which  is  other
     5  than  those  specified above, but is of such nature as to impose unusual
     6  hardship in utilization of public  transportation  facilities  and  such
     7  condition  is  certified  by  a  physician, physician assistant or nurse
     8  practitioner, to the extent authorized by law and consistent with subdi-
     9  vision three of section six thousand nine hundred two of  the  education
    10  law,  duly  licensed to practice in this state, or, pursuant to subdivi-
    11  sion four-a of this section, a  podiatrist  duly  licensed  to  practice
    12  podiatry  in  this  state  or,  pursuant  to  subdivision four-b of this
    13  section, an optometrist duly licensed  to  practice  optometry  in  this
    14  state,  as  constituting  an  equal degree of disability (specifying the
    15  particular condition) so as to prevent such person from  getting  around
    16  without  great  difficulty  in  accordance  with subdivision two of this
    17  section; [or]
    18    (d) A blind person[.]; or
    19    (e) Is rated one hundred percent disabled by the United States depart-
    20  ment of veterans affairs.
    21    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    22  it shall have become a law.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14042-02-6