Assemblymember Susan John (D-Rochester/Chili/Riga/Rush/Wheatland) delineated that the Legislature has passed the MERIT/Patriot Plan to provide New York's service men and women with a smooth peacetime transition, take care of their families, and boost morale (A.9110). Now that the Assembly and Senate have approved the legislation, the measure goes to the governor to be signed into law.

Assemblymember John said she supports the legislation, which is modeled after the Assembly's Military Enhanced Recognition, Incentive, and Tribute (MERIT) Plan.

The legislation will:

•provide families with an advocate at the Division of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA), who would be available to answer inquiries of service personnel on active duty and to act as liaison with the federal Department of Defense;

•require at least one library in every county to designate a computer for the use of family members of those who have been called to active duty, and provide additional computers to libraries if existing computers are unavailable;

•direct the DMNA to negotiate bulk telephone service rates for persons in military service; and provide facilities in armories for teleconferencing between active duty personnel and their families; and

•allow students to remain in the same school district if a parent in state military service relocated temporarily due to active duty.

In the tragic event of a war casualty, the Assembly measure provides up to $6,000 in supplemental funeral costs for each New York resident killed in combat.

The package also protects students called to duty who have to suspend their education, allowing them to retain credits, standings, or scholarships.

The Assembly's legislation: helps veterans transfer their military training and experience to civilian jobs and higher education, providing formal recognition of the skills they acquired while serving in the military; extends the certification period for emergency medical technicians who have been federally ordered to active military duty; waives continuing professional education requirements while on active duty; and automatically extends professional licenses.

Many health issues often arise as a result of military combat. Whether they are physical or psychological, the results can be devastating. To address these serious health issues, the Assembly's MERIT/Patriot Plan establishes a hotline to provide information on the Persian Gulf Syndrome, Agent Orange, Hepatitis C and other war-related illnesses, and provide information regarding health care providers and treatment centers with expertise in illnesses associated with military duty.