Albany – Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-88) is pleased to announce that A.8174/S.5937, legislation she authored, was passed by both the State Assembly and State Senate on Thursday and can now be sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo to be signed into law.

The bill, known as The Veteran’s Equality Act, will align New York with other states. Veterans will get service credit for time served bravely in the military and who now choose to serve New York as state police officers, firefighters and teachers.

“I am proud that the Assembly passed the Veterans’ Equality Act,” Paulin said. “With this bill, we recognize the service of all our veterans by providing them with pension equity. Certain veterans that currently work in a public service capacity are exempt from receiving certain pension benefits afforded other veterans. This bill corrects that unfairness, eliminates arbitrary restrictions and ends discrimination against women who have served. I am happy to stand with those who have served our country.”

New York has one of the most restrictive pension-credit programs in the country. This bill will bring New York’s system in line with states such as Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia; all of which are states that include nine of the 10 largest cities in the country and allow veterans to get pension credit for any service.

William Larkin (R-39) sponsored the bill in the Senate.