Two local elected officials have reached across the aisle to introduce legislation designed to retain members of New York’s National Guard.
Under bill S8365 drafted by State Minority Leader Robert Ortt (R) and Amherst Town Supervisor-elect Shawn Lavin (D), National Guard troops who are deployed for 60 days or more on state orders would receive extra credit in civil service examinations.
Ortt, who once served in the New York Army National Guard himself, said 2.5 points in extra credit would be a material way of saying "thank you" to those deployed by the state for longer periods.
"A lot of members of the Army National Guard, they go into other types of public service positions," Ortt said. "They're taking civil service exams, and those two and a half points might be the difference between them being hired to be a police officer or not being hired to be a police officer or a firefighter or what have you."
As well as a municipal leader, Lavin still serves as a Major in the U.S. Air National Guard. He came up with a first draft of the legislation after National Guard troops were sent into state prisons during the Corrections Officers’ walkout earlier this year. He called Ortt to secure state support.
"The National Guard of New York State continues to answer the call. They're the first ones to wake up and say, 'I'm going to step up to the plate, and I'm going to own this situation, and I'm going to be here for as long as it takes,' and we - the law - needs to catch up to that sacrifice," Lavin said.
Under current state law, New York National Guard troops activated under federal orders - known as Title 10 - are eligible for veteran's credits in civil service exams when they meet certain requirements. This bill aims to allow a similar perk for those deployed under state orders - known as Title 32.
Veterans are far more likely to pursue employment in public service than nonveterans according to a 2022 study by the Rockefeller Institute, which found approximately 27% of veterans in New York worked for the federal, state, or local government compared with almost 16% percent of nonveterans.
The bill is a bipartisan effort - not only because Lavin and Ortt drafted it together, but because it is now sponsored in State Senate by Democratic Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton who chairs the Veterans Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee.
Ortt sought her sponsorship believing the bill "would stand a better chance of passing."
"The reality is this is a good piece of legislation. There's no pride of authorship for me, other than to be here today to advocate for the passage of the bill," Ortt added.
The bill still needs a sponsor in State Assembly, but Ortt said he will work to get the legislation passed once state lawmakers reconvene in January.
