Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, who served in the US Army Reserve and is now a member of the State Assembly’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, announced a new bill supporting veterans has been signed into law. The new law supports veterans seeking employment by waiving all of the state application fees required to take civil service exams in New York State.

“We must not forget the challenges our veterans face when transitioning back to civilian life,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “Having served in the Army Reserve and now as a member of the State Assembly’s Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, addressing challenges our service members face when they return home is of utmost importance to me.”

“For many veterans returning to the workforce after being out of the country for a substantial period of time, finding a good job can be difficult,” Santabarbara said. “This legislation offers our veterans more opportunities when they search for employment.”

New York State is home to one of the largest veteran populations in the country, with over 900,000 veterans residing in the Empire State. The new law takes effect on December 12, 2017 and waives all state application fees for honorably discharged veterans taking civil service exams for state and municipal positions.