Bill Text: NY S02406 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes a program for the sharing of veteran contact information.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS [S02406 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-S02406-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2406 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 20, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi- ty and Military Affairs AN ACT to amend the executive law and the veterans' services law, in relation to establishing a program for the sharing of veteran contact information The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 354-a of the executive law, as amended by chapter 2 602 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 354-a. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance. 1. 4 The division shall establish and maintain a program for the sharing of 5 veteran contact information between veteran related programs and the 6 division. Such program shall consist of any veteran related program 7 under any department, division, bureau, board, commission and agency of 8 the state and political subdivisions thereof including, but not limited 9 to: (a) programs that offer property tax exemptions, income tax 10 exemptions, and/or tax credits to veterans under the department of taxa- 11 tion and finance; (b) programs that offer discounts to state parks, 12 historic sites, and recreational facilities to veterans under the office 13 of parks, recreation and historic preservation; (c) programs that deliv- 14 er career services to veterans under the department of labor; (d) 15 programs that facilitate long term services and supports for veteran 16 seniors under the department for the aging; (e) programs that provide 17 financial assistance to veterans with disabilities, programs that facil- 18 itate the creation of affordable housing specifically for veterans, and 19 programs that support veteran home ownership under the department of 20 housing and community renewal; (f) programs that facilitate the creation 21 of affordable housing specifically for veterans under the office of 22 temporary and disability assistance and/or the office of mental health; 23 (g) programs that provide free or reduced fee sporting license and/or EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05694-01-3S. 2406 2 1 privileges to veterans under the department of environmental conserva- 2 tion; and (h) programs that provide postsecondary education benefits to 3 veterans and veteran family members under the higher education services 4 corporation. 5 2. Departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies 6 of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assist- 7 ance, treatment, counseling, care, supervision or custody in service 8 areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice 9 or employment, including but not limited to the office of addiction 10 services and supports, office of mental health, office of probation and 11 correctional alternatives, office of children and family services, 12 office of temporary and disability assistance, department of health, 13 department of labor, local workforce investment boards, office for 14 people with developmental disabilities, and department of corrections 15 and community supervision, shall request assisted persons to provide 16 information with regard to their veteran status and military experi- 17 ences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans, including indi- 18 viduals requesting and obtaining a veterans notation on their driver's 19 license or non-driver identification card pursuant to sections four 20 hundred ninety and five hundred two of the vehicle and traffic law, 21 shall be advised that the division of veterans' services and local 22 veterans' service agencies established pursuant to section three hundred 23 fifty-seven of this article provide assistance to veterans regarding 24 benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding veterans 25 status and military service provided by assisted persons solely to 26 implement this section shall be protected as personal confidential 27 information under article six-A of the public officers law against 28 disclosure of confidential material, and used only to assist in the 29 diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling of the veteran's problems 30 within the agency requesting such information and in referring the 31 veteran to the division of veterans' services for information and 32 assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements under federal and 33 state law. 34 § 2. Section 7 of the veterans' services law is amended to read as 35 follows: 36 § 7. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance. 1. The 37 department shall establish and maintain a program for the sharing of 38 veteran contact information between veteran related programs and the 39 department. Such program shall consist of any veteran related program 40 under any department, division, bureau, board, commission and agency of 41 the state and political subdivisions thereof including, but not limited 42 to: (a) programs that offer property tax exemptions, income tax 43 exemptions, and/or tax credits to veterans under the department of taxa- 44 tion and finance; (b) programs that offer discounts to state parks, 45 historic sites, and recreational facilities to veterans under the office 46 of parks, recreation and historic preservation; (c) programs that deliv- 47 er career services to veterans under the department of labor; (d) 48 programs that facilitate long term services and supports for veteran 49 seniors under the department for the aging; (e) programs that provide 50 financial assistance to veterans with disabilities, programs that facil- 51 itate the creation of affordable housing specifically for veterans, and 52 programs that support veteran home ownership under the department of 53 housing and community renewal; (f) programs that facilitate the creation 54 of affordable housing specifically for veterans under the office of 55 temporary and disability assistance and/or the office of mental health; 56 (g) programs that provide free or reduced fee sporting license and/orS. 2406 3 1 privileges to veterans under the department of environmental conserva- 2 tion; and (h) programs that provide postsecondary education benefits to 3 veterans and veteran family members under the higher education services 4 corporation. 5 2. Departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies 6 of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assist- 7 ance, treatment, counseling, care, supervision or custody in service 8 areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice 9 or employment, including but not limited to the office of addiction 10 services and supports, office of mental health, office of probation and 11 correctional alternatives, office of children and family services, 12 office of temporary and disability assistance, department of health, 13 department of labor, local workforce investment boards, office for 14 people with developmental disabilities, and department of corrections 15 and community supervision, shall request assisted persons to provide 16 information with regard to their veteran status and military experi- 17 ences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans shall be advised 18 that the department of veterans' services and local veterans' service 19 agencies established pursuant to section fourteen of this article 20 provide assistance to veterans regarding benefits under federal and 21 state law. Information regarding veterans status and military service 22 provided by assisted persons solely to implement this section shall be 23 protected as personal confidential information under article six-A of 24 the public officers law against disclosure of confidential material, and 25 used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling 26 of the veteran's problems within the agency requesting such information 27 and in referring the veteran to the department of veterans' services for 28 information and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements 29 under federal and state law. 30 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 31 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that: 32 (a) that the amendments to section 354-a of the executive law made by 33 section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and 34 shall be deemed repealed therewith; 35 (b) if section 2 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022 shall 36 not have taken effect on or before such date then section two of this 37 act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as such 38 chapter of the laws of 2022, takes effect; and 39 (c) effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of 40 any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on 41 its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before 42 such effective date.
