WHEREAS, many citizens of the State of New York serve as members of the reserve armed forces of the United States and the organized militia of this state;
WHEREAS, these brave men and women have been, and will continue to be, called to active duty to fight the ongoing war on terrorism and the armed conflict with Iraq;
WHEREAS, the willingness of these men and women to leave behind their families, friends, and regular lives to keep our Nation safe, strong and free is truly heroic, and all New Yorkers owe them an enormous debt of gratitude;
WHEREAS, the sacrifices that these courageous men and women make while serving on active military duty should not be compounded by their families having to make additional sacrifices at home;
WHEREAS, New York State, local governments and the private sector should work together to ensure that our military personnel called to active duty and their families receive the support and protection they deserve;
WHEREAS, I have proposed the Patriot Plan -- a comprehensive package of benefits and protections for New York's citizen soldiers and their families;
WHEREAS, the Patriot Plan will assist troops and their families who face potential added expenses and disruptions caused by being called to active duty; and
WHEREAS, while many elements of the Patriot Plan require legislative action, certain measures can and should be implemented through administrative actions of the State of New York and its agencies and departments.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE E. PATAKI, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws of the State of New York, do hereby make the following orders to ensure that appropriate protections and benefits are extended to members of the reserve armed forces of the United States and the organized militia of this State:
1. I hereby order the Director of the Office of Employee Relations to negotiate appropriate extensions to current agreements regarding supplemental military leave benefits for New York State employees and order the Commissioner of the Department of Civil Service to amend the Attendance Rules for Employees in New York State Departments and Institutions in furtherance of those negotiated extensions to continue supplemental military leave benefits for New York State employees who are ordered to active military duty relating to the war on terrorism and military action in Iraq. In addition, I encourage all other public and private employers to recognize the sacrifices made by their employees who are called to active duty by extending paid leave, as well as other appropriate benefits, to these brave citizen soldiers.2. I hereby order the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide automatic extensions of driver's licenses and motor vehicle registrations that would otherwise expire for New Yorkers who have been ordered to active military duty relating to the war on terrorism and military action in Iraq.3. I hereby order that the State University of New York and the City University of New York make available to family members of the reserve armed forces of the United States and the organized militia of this state called to active duty, computer facilities for the purpose of facilitating e-mail and, to the extent practicable, video-conferencing between military personnel and their loved ones for the duration of their deployment. In addition, I hereby encourage all pubic [public] libraries, institutions of higher learning and any other public and private entities to also make such facilities and services available.4. I hereby order the Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to provide Empire Passports to the families of reservists and members of the National Guard to allow the families of our military personnel to enjoy the State's parks, beaches and other natural resources free of charge. Signed: George E. PatakiDated: March 24, 2003
N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 5.125