Bill Text: NY A02975 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Establishes the governor's military council for purposes of growing and protecting major military activities in the state, to leverage such military activities into creating additional defense-related jobs, and to help local units of government improve the quality of life of members of the armed forces and their families in New York state.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to governmental operations [A02975 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A02975-Introduced.html

---

                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2975

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 1, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M. of A. GRAY -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Governmental Operations

        AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the  governor's  mili-
          tary council

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 192 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    § 192. Governor's military council. 1.  There  is  hereby  established
     4  within  the division of military and naval affairs a council to be known
     5  as the "governor's military council".  The  mission  of  the  governor's
     6  military  council  is  to  grow  and  protect  major military activities
     7  located in the state of New York, to leverage such  military  activities
     8  into  creating  additional defense related jobs, and to help local units
     9  of government improve the quality of life of members of the armed forces
    10  and their families in this state.
    11    2. (a) The governor's military council shall consist of no  more  than
    12  twelve  members,  each  to serve for a term of three years. Such members
    13  shall be appointed as follows: one member  shall  be  appointed  by  the
    14  temporary  president of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the
    15  minority leader of the senate; one member  shall  be  appointed  by  the
    16  speaker  of  the assembly; one member shall be appointed by the minority
    17  leader of the assembly; and eight members  shall  be  appointed  by  the
    18  governor. Of the twelve members, such members shall include the adjutant
    19  general,  the  commissioner of economic development, the commissioner of
    20  labor, and the director of the division of veterans' affairs,  or  their
    21  designated  representatives.  Of  the twelve members, such members shall
    22  include one member from each area in this state in which a military base
    23  is located, including Kings county, Jefferson county, Orange county, and
    24  Saratoga county. The governor shall designate one member as chairperson,
    25  and may designate other officers as deemed  appropriate.  Base  or  post

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07712-01-3
        A. 2975                             2

     1  commanders  may serve as ex-officio members of the council. Appointments
     2  shall be made within sixty days of the effective date of  this  section.
     3  Vacancies  in  the  council  shall  be filled in the manner provided for
     4  original appointments.
     5    (b)  The  members  of  the  council shall serve at the pleasure of the
     6  governor and shall receive no compensation  for  services  performed  or
     7  reimbursement  for  expenses  incurred  pursuant  to  this  section. The
     8  members shall meet upon the call of  the  chairperson  as  necessary  to
     9  carry out the duties set forth in subdivision three of this section.
    10    3. The duties of the governor's military council shall be to initiate,
    11  study,  and  make  recommendations  to the governor and the legislature,
    12  with respect to strategies to:
    13    (a) optimize the military presence in this state through  the  removal
    14  of  operational  impediments,  increasing  operating  efficiencies,  and
    15  recruitment or acquisition of new missions and force structure;
    16    (b) foster close, effective cooperation among the  installations,  and
    17  public and private sectors throughout the state;
    18    (c)  pursue  initiatives to enhance the quality of life for all active
    19  and reserve component military personnel;
    20    (d)  explore  and  develop  outreach  opportunities  for   individuals
    21  discharging  or  retiring from military service to use their talents and
    22  skills as members of the state workforce;
    23    (e) assist in the development, coordination, and execution of  strate-
    24  gies  required  by any future change in missions proposed by the depart-
    25  ment of defense; and
    26    (f) grow defense-related industries in areas around the state's  mili-
    27  tary bases and installations.
    28    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.