New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed legislation to honor veterans. The new law will allow New York state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to add a mark indicating “veteran” status on both driver’s licenses and or non-driver IDs. This legislation allows veterans of the United States Armed Forces to request the veteran status mark on their identification, if so desired.
The veteran designation on driver’s licenses and other forms of ID is desirable for many reasons, one of which is that many local businesses on New York state offer certain discounts on ticket prices and other items to military veterans. The legislation will allow veterans to show their status in a convenient manner, without having to carry additional forms of ID. The law takes effect in a year, and in order to obtain the veteran mark, applicants must submit proof of honorable discharge to the DMV.
Governor Cuomo stated that veterans have made “invaluable sacrifices” for the state of New York and for the nation and that, in turn, the government wants to do something for them “We are proud to help distinguish them as veterans.”
New York Senator Greg Ball, who co-sponsored the bill, stated that identifying veterans in order to offer services and support is an ongoing issue and he hopes this designation mark will help expedite that process and allow government officials to help connect veterans to a variety of services available to them. The bill was first proposed by Bill Linder of Copiague, Lt. Commander, U.S. Navy (retired).
Though the emblem is just one small mark, it is hoped that veterans will feel the move as a way to acknowledge their sacrifice.
Kentucky currently offers the veteran mark, as does Missouri, where DMV officials report that they have received positive feedback from the veterans who opted to have the emblem placed on their license. They hope more veterans will take advantage of the emblem.
In Kentucky, Governor Steve Beshear directed the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to work to issue new licenses with the emblem without charging for them, allowing vets to get their new license without having to wait until the next renewal period.
The emblem consists of the word “VETERAN” printed vertically on the right border of the driver’s photo. Until the law takes effect, the DMV plans to revise application forms to manage the requests for the veteran status mark. The review of honorable discharge documentation must now be processed manually at the DMV, adding to the backlog at offices statewide.
James G. Fausone is a Veterans disability lawyer and Veterans attorney with Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC. Learn more at http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com.
