New York Consolidated Laws, Veterans’ Services Law - VES § 1. Definitions

1. The term “department” means the department of veterans' services.

2. The term “state commissioner” means the New York state commissioner of veterans' services.

3. The term “veteran” means a person who served on active duty in the uniformed services of the United States, or in the army national guard, air national guard, or service as a commissioned officer in the public health service, commissioned officer of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration or environmental sciences services administration, cadet at a United States armed forces service academy, and who has been released from such service under other than dishonorable conditions.

4. The term “uniformed services” means the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force, coast guard, public health commissioned corps, and the national oceanic and atmospheric administration commissioned officer corps of the United States.

5. The term “local director” means the director of a county or city veterans' service agency.

6. The term “county director” means a local director of a county veterans' service agency.

7. The term “city director” means a local director of a city veterans' service agency.

8. The term “qualifying condition” means a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury made by, or an experience of military sexual trauma, as described in 38 USC 1720D, as amended from time to time, disclosed to, an individual licensed to provide health care services at a United States Department of Veterans Affairs facility or an individual licensed to provide health care services within the state of New York.  The department shall develop a standardized form used to confirm that the veteran has a qualifying condition under this subdivision.

9. The term “discharged LGBT veteran” means a veteran who was discharged less than honorably from the uniformed services due to their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, as those terms are defined in section two hundred ninety-two of the executive law, or statements, consensual sexual conduct, or consensual acts relating to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or the disclosure of such statements, conduct, or acts, that were prohibited by the branch of the uniformed services at the time of discharge.  The department shall establish a consistent and uniform process to determine whether a veteran qualifies as a discharged LGBT veteran under this subdivision, including, at a minimum, standards for verifying a veteran's status as a discharged LGBT veteran, and a method of demonstrating eligibility as a discharged LGBT veteran.