Veteran Advocate
New
York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed legislation which allows 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.
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.
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