Establishes the New York state interagency coordinating council for service-disabled veterans; defines the powers and duties of the council; requires an annual report by the council to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3594--A
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 28, 2011
___________
Introduced by Sen. ADAMS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
ty and Military Affairs -- recommitted to the Committee on Veterans,
Homeland Security and Military Affairs in accordance with Senate Rule
6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the New
York state interagency coordinating council for service-disabled
veterans, defining the powers and duties of the council and requiring
an annual report by the council to the governor, the temporary presi-
dent of the senate and the speaker of the assembly
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby recognizes that
2 New York state's veterans, particularly those who suffered service-re-
3 lated disabilities, have unique needs as a result of the sacrifices they
4 made during their military service. It is also hereby acknowledged by
5 the legislature that due to the complexity of their needs, such individ-
6 uals require accessible, coordinated, and specialized services within
7 their communities from multiple state and local agencies. The legisla-
8 ture finds that there is an immediate need for a statewide comprehensive
9 program to coordinate such services.
10 § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 369 to read
11 as follows:
12 § 369. New York state interagency coordinating council for service-
13 disabled veterans. There is hereby established the New York state inter-
14 agency coordinating council for service-disabled veterans in the execu-
15 tive department to have and exercise the functions, powers and duties
16 provided by the provisions of this section and any other provision of
17 law.
18 1. As used in this section the following terms shall mean:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07647-02-1
S. 3594--A 2
1 (a) "council" means the New York state interagency coordinating coun-
2 cil for service-disabled veterans;
3 (b) "veteran" means a person, male or female, resident of this state,
4 who has served in the active military, naval, or air service of the
5 United States during a war in which the United States engaged and who
6 has been released from such service otherwise than by dishonorable
7 discharge, or who has been furloughed to the reserve; and
8 (c) "service-disabled veteran" means a veteran with a disability that
9 was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military,
10 naval, or air service.
11 2. The council shall consist of the following ten agency heads or
12 their designees: director of the division of veterans' affairs, who
13 shall serve as chair of the council, the adjutant general of the divi-
14 sion of military and naval affairs, the commissioner of the department
15 of health, the commissioner of the office of mental health, the commis-
16 sioner of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, the
17 commissioner of the department of labor, the commissioner of the divi-
18 sion of housing and community renewal, the commissioner of the education
19 department, the commissioner of the department of transportation, and
20 the director of the office for the aging. In addition, the council shall
21 consist of nine service-disabled veterans, three to be appointed by the
22 governor, two to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate,
23 two to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one to be appointed
24 by the minority leader of the senate and one to be appointed by the
25 minority leader of the assembly. The members of the council shall serve
26 terms of two years; provided, however, that of the members first
27 appointed, the members appointed by the governor shall serve for terms
28 of three years and the remaining members, appointed by the legislative
29 leaders, shall serve for terms of two years. Members of the council
30 shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be allowed
31 their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
32 functions hereunder.
33 3. The council shall have the following powers and duties:
34 (a) to promote the implementation of a comprehensive statewide program
35 of coordinated services for service-disabled veterans that includes: (1)
36 matters pertaining to educational training and retraining services and
37 facilities, (2) health, medical and rehabilitation services and facili-
38 ties, (3) employment and re-employment services including small business
39 opportunities, (4) housing options, (5) transportation options, (6) long
40 term care, (7) personal care, (8) day program services, (9) family
41 outreach and (10) other essential services that maximize existing
42 resources and administrative mechanisms;
43 (b) to disseminate general information about available services to
44 service-disabled veterans and how such services can be accessed;
45 (c) to receive complaints in matters affecting service-disabled veter-
46 ans and to refer such complaints to the appropriate regulatory agencies
47 where it deems necessary or appropriate; and
48 (d) to conduct an ongoing evaluation of the needs of service-disabled
49 veterans.
50 4. The council shall meet as necessary to carry out its functions,
51 powers and duties, but such meetings shall occur at least once each
52 quarter. Furthermore, the council shall seek to consult with the network
53 directors of the veterans integrated service networks, VISN 2 and VISN
54 3.
55 5. The council shall provide a report to the governor, the temporary
56 president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on or before
S. 3594--A 3
1 September first of each year, beginning in two thousand thirteen. Such
2 report shall summarize the council's activity during the previous fiscal
3 year and detailing legislative recommendations appropriate to effectuate
4 the purposes of this section, and any other recommendations for improv-
5 ing service delivery and coordination, reducing duplication and fragmen-
6 tation and facilitating the most efficient use of existing resources.
7 Such report shall also include a proposed agenda consisting of specific
8 issues that the council plans to address during the current fiscal year.
9 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
10 have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the
11 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
12 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
13 and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
