Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara (D-Rotterdam), member of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, attended a press conference today in support of the Military Buyback Bill (A.6974-A). This legislation would allow public sector workers who were honorably discharged from the military to purchase up to three years of credit toward their pension.

“Our distinguished veterans have honorably and selflessly served our nation. They put their lives on the line simply by signing up,” Assemblyman Santabarbara stated. “These veterans deserve to be recognized for their efforts and credits provided by the state should not be based on the time period during which they served.”

Currently, the law excludes all peacetime veterans and those who served during select periods of conflict – from Desert Storm to the present – from purchasing credit toward their pension. This legislation would ensure that these veterans receive credit for the time they served in the military, regardless of whether it was during peacetime or a particular conflict.

Earlier this year, Assemblyman Santabarbara also helped pass the “Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act” (A.9135). This legislation makes New York a national leader in helping the small businesses of our brave men and women by doubling the federal standard to 6 percent for awarding contracts to businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.