Establishes the veterans' services law and the department of veterans' services; replaces all instances of the term "division of veterans' services" with the term "department of veterans' services".
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8294A
SPONSOR: Barrett TITLE OF BILL:
An act in relation to constituting chapter 13 of the consolidated law,
in relation to establishing the veterans' services law and the depart-
ment of veterans' services; to amend the domestic relations law, the
education law, the election law, the environmental conservation law, the
executive law, the general municipal law, the labor law, the mental
hygiene law, the not-for-profit corporation law, the public health law,
the social services law, the state finance law, the defense emergency
act of 1951, the administrative code of the city of New York, the New
York city charter, the cannabis law, the state technology law, the coun-
ty law, the economic development law, the correction law, the civil
service law, the general business law, the general construction law, the
highway law, the insurance law, the judiciary law, the military law, the
public housing law, the public officers law, the private housing finance
law, the real property tax law, the tax law, the town law, the vehicle
and traffic law, and the workers' compensation law, in relation to
replacing all instances of the term "division of veterans services" with
the term "department of veterans' services" and to making related
conforming technical changes; and to repeal certain provisions of the
executive law relating to veterans' services and of the military law
relating to certain awards and medals
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
To create the Department of Veterans' Services headed by a Commissioner,
and establish a new Veterans' Services Law.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Repeals Articles 17, 17-A and 17-B of the Executive Law and
§ 247(1-c) of the Military Law.
Section 2: Establishes Chapter 13 of the Consolidated Law, Veterans'
Services.
Section 3-99: Amends various provisions of law to change the term
"director" to "commissioner" and the "Division of Veterans' Services" to
"Department of Veterans' Services."
Section 100-111: Makes technical amendments to facilitate the move from
a Division to a Department. Section 112: Includes the severability
clause.
Section 113: Establishes the effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION:
Technical updates were needed to reflect reference changes.
JUSTIFICATION:
The Division of Veterans' Services was established over 75 years ago, in
1945, to serve World War II veterans. Although the Division has adapted
to the technological changes since it was first created and serves
veterans and service members from all eras, it remains relatively
unchanged in structure and purpose. At the same time, only an estimated
17 percent of the overall veterans' population is accessing their earned
benefits. In addition, oversight, funding and distribution of such bene-
fits and programs span multiple state departments, agencies and offices,
its organizational structure has remained the same. This bill would
elevate the Division to an Executive Department. The change of the
status parallels the federal designation and is similar to the organiza-
tional structure of other states.
The creation of a new section of law, Veterans' Services, highlights the
importance of and respect for our veterans and their service. Veterans'
service programs would now be located in one centrally located section
of law helping to make those programs more readily accessible to veter-
ans and their family members. In addition, language has been added to
the duties of the Agency to ensure there are coordinated outreach
efforts to veterans and their families to facilitate access to benefits
- such as housing, employment, mental health care, education and more -
that may be available from other state agencies. Examples of other agen-
cies include, but are not limited to, the Office of Mental Health, the
State Office of the Aging and the Office of Addiction Services and
Support.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Undetermined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided, however, that the amendments to §
7.09(1) of the Mental Hygiene Law made by section fifteen of this act
shall not affect the repeal of such subdivision and shall be deemed
repealed therewith; and provided further that the amendments to para-
graph j of subdivision 1 and subdivisions 6 and 6-d of § 163 of the
State Finance Law made by section twenty-eight of this act shall not
affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed to be repealed
therewith; and provided further, that if section 2 of part AA of Chapter
56 of the Laws of 2021 shall not have taken effect on or before such
date, then section thirty of this act shall take effect on the same date
and in the same manner as such chapter of the laws of 2021, takes
effect; provided further that the amendments to § 103-a(3) of the State
Technology Law made by section thirty-one of this act shall not affect
the repeal of such section and shall be deemed to be repealed therewith;
provided further, that if chapter 609 of the laws of 2021 shall not have
taken effect on or before such date, then section seventy-eight of this
act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as such
chapter of the laws of 2021 takes effect. Effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
to be made on or before such date.
