STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2726
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Veterans' 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
24 privileges to veterans under the department of environmental conserva-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05694-01-3
A. 2726 2
1 tion; and (h) programs that provide postsecondary education benefits to
2 veterans and veteran family members under the higher education services
3 corporation.
4 2. Departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies
5 of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assist-
6 ance, treatment, counseling, care, supervision or custody in service
7 areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice
8 or employment, including but not limited to the office of addiction
9 services and supports, office of mental health, office of probation and
10 correctional alternatives, office of children and family services,
11 office of temporary and disability assistance, department of health,
12 department of labor, local workforce investment boards, office for
13 people with developmental disabilities, and department of corrections
14 and community supervision, shall request assisted persons to provide
15 information with regard to their veteran status and military experi-
16 ences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans, including indi-
17 viduals requesting and obtaining a veterans notation on their driver's
18 license or non-driver identification card pursuant to sections four
19 hundred ninety and five hundred two of the vehicle and traffic law,
20 shall be advised that the division of veterans' services and local
21 veterans' service agencies established pursuant to section three hundred
22 fifty-seven of this article provide assistance to veterans regarding
23 benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding veterans
24 status and military service provided by assisted persons solely to
25 implement this section shall be protected as personal confidential
26 information under article six-A of the public officers law against
27 disclosure of confidential material, and used only to assist in the
28 diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling of the veteran's problems
29 within the agency requesting such information and in referring the
30 veteran to the division of veterans' services for information and
31 assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements under federal and
32 state law.
33 § 2. Section 7 of the veterans' services law is amended to read as
34 follows:
35 § 7. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance. 1. The
36 department shall establish and maintain a program for the sharing of
37 veteran contact information between veteran related programs and the
38 department. Such program shall consist of any veteran related program
39 under any department, division, bureau, board, commission and agency of
40 the state and political subdivisions thereof including, but not limited
41 to: (a) programs that offer property tax exemptions, income tax
42 exemptions, and/or tax credits to veterans under the department of taxa-
43 tion and finance; (b) programs that offer discounts to state parks,
44 historic sites, and recreational facilities to veterans under the office
45 of parks, recreation and historic preservation; (c) programs that deliv-
46 er career services to veterans under the department of labor; (d)
47 programs that facilitate long term services and supports for veteran
48 seniors under the department for the aging; (e) programs that provide
49 financial assistance to veterans with disabilities, programs that facil-
50 itate the creation of affordable housing specifically for veterans, and
51 programs that support veteran home ownership under the department of
52 housing and community renewal; (f) programs that facilitate the creation
53 of affordable housing specifically for veterans under the office of
54 temporary and disability assistance and/or the office of mental health;
55 (g) programs that provide free or reduced fee sporting license and/or
56 privileges to veterans under the department of environmental conserva-
A. 2726 3
1 tion; and (h) programs that provide postsecondary education benefits to
2 veterans and veteran family members under the higher education services
3 corporation.
4 2. Departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies
5 of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assist-
6 ance, treatment, counseling, care, supervision or custody in service
7 areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice
8 or employment, including but not limited to the office of addiction
9 services and supports, office of mental health, office of probation and
10 correctional alternatives, office of children and family services,
11 office of temporary and disability assistance, department of health,
12 department of labor, local workforce investment boards, office for
13 people with developmental disabilities, and department of corrections
14 and community supervision, shall request assisted persons to provide
15 information with regard to their veteran status and military experi-
16 ences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans shall be advised
17 that the department of veterans' services and local veterans' service
18 agencies established pursuant to section fourteen of this article
19 provide assistance to veterans regarding benefits under federal and
20 state law. Information regarding veterans status and military service
21 provided by assisted persons solely to implement this section shall be
22 protected as personal confidential information under article six-A of
23 the public officers law against disclosure of confidential material, and
24 used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling
25 of the veteran's problems within the agency requesting such information
26 and in referring the veteran to the department of veterans' services for
27 information and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements
28 under federal and state law.
29 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
30 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that:
31 (a) that the amendments to section 354-a of the executive law made by
32 section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and
33 shall be deemed repealed therewith;
34 (b) if section 2 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022 shall
35 not have taken effect on or before such date then section two of this
36 act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as such
37 chapter of the laws of 2022, takes effect; and
38 (c) effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of
39 any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on
40 its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before
41 such effective date.
