S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2726
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             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:
 
   Section  1.  Section 354-a of the executive law, as amended by chapter
 602 of the laws of 2021, is amended to read as follows:
   § 354-a. Information on status of veterans  receiving  assistance.  1.
 THE  DIVISION  SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A PROGRAM FOR THE SHARING OF
 VETERAN CONTACT INFORMATION BETWEEN VETERAN  RELATED  PROGRAMS  AND  THE
 DIVISION.  SUCH  PROGRAM  SHALL  CONSIST  OF ANY VETERAN RELATED PROGRAM
 UNDER ANY DEPARTMENT, DIVISION, BUREAU, BOARD, COMMISSION AND AGENCY  OF
 THE  STATE AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS THEREOF INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO:  (A)  PROGRAMS  THAT  OFFER  PROPERTY  TAX  EXEMPTIONS,  INCOME  TAX
 EXEMPTIONS, AND/OR TAX CREDITS TO VETERANS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXA-
 TION  AND  FINANCE;  (B)  PROGRAMS  THAT OFFER DISCOUNTS TO STATE PARKS,
 HISTORIC SITES, AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES TO VETERANS UNDER THE OFFICE
 OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION; (C) PROGRAMS THAT DELIV-
 ER CAREER SERVICES TO  VETERANS  UNDER  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  LABOR;  (D)
 PROGRAMS  THAT  FACILITATE  LONG  TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR VETERAN
 SENIORS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING; (E)  PROGRAMS  THAT  PROVIDE
 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES, PROGRAMS THAT FACIL-
 ITATE  THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS, AND
 PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT VETERAN HOME OWNERSHIP  UNDER  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF
 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL; (F) PROGRAMS THAT FACILITATE THE CREATION
 OF  AFFORDABLE  HOUSING  SPECIFICALLY  FOR  VETERANS UNDER THE OFFICE OF
 TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE AND/OR THE OFFICE OF MENTAL  HEALTH;
 (G)  PROGRAMS  THAT  PROVIDE FREE OR REDUCED FEE SPORTING LICENSE AND/OR
 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
 
 TION;  AND (H) PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION BENEFITS TO
 VETERANS AND VETERAN FAMILY MEMBERS UNDER THE HIGHER EDUCATION  SERVICES
 CORPORATION.
   2.  Departments,  divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies
 of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which  provide  assist-
 ance,  treatment,  counseling,  care,  supervision or custody in service
 areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice
 or employment, including but not limited  to  the  office  of  addiction
 services  and supports, office of mental health, office of probation and
 correctional alternatives,  office  of  children  and  family  services,
 office  of  temporary  and  disability assistance, department of health,
 department of labor,  local  workforce  investment  boards,  office  for
 people  with  developmental  disabilities, and department of corrections
 and community supervision, shall request  assisted  persons  to  provide
 information  with  regard  to  their veteran status and military experi-
 ences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans,  including  indi-
 viduals  requesting  and obtaining a veterans notation on their driver's
 license or non-driver identification  card  pursuant  to  sections  four
 hundred  ninety  and  five  hundred  two of the vehicle and traffic law,
 shall be advised that the  division  of  veterans'  services  and  local
 veterans' service agencies established pursuant to section three hundred
 fifty-seven  of  this  article  provide assistance to veterans regarding
 benefits under federal and state  law.  Information  regarding  veterans
 status  and  military  service  provided  by  assisted persons solely to
 implement this section  shall  be  protected  as  personal  confidential
 information  under  article  six-A  of  the  public officers law against
 disclosure of confidential material, and used  only  to  assist  in  the
 diagnosis,  treatment, assessment and handling of the veteran's problems
 within the agency requesting  such  information  and  in  referring  the
 veteran  to  the  division  of  veterans'  services  for information and
 assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements  under  federal  and
 state law.
   §  2.  Section  7  of the veterans' services law is amended to read as
 follows:
   § 7. Information on status of veterans receiving assistance.   1.  THE
 DEPARTMENT  SHALL  ESTABLISH  AND  MAINTAIN A PROGRAM FOR THE SHARING OF
 VETERAN CONTACT INFORMATION BETWEEN VETERAN  RELATED  PROGRAMS  AND  THE
 DEPARTMENT.  SUCH  PROGRAM  SHALL CONSIST OF ANY VETERAN RELATED PROGRAM
 UNDER ANY DEPARTMENT, DIVISION, BUREAU, BOARD, COMMISSION AND AGENCY  OF
 THE  STATE AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS THEREOF INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO:  (A)  PROGRAMS  THAT  OFFER  PROPERTY  TAX  EXEMPTIONS,  INCOME  TAX
 EXEMPTIONS, AND/OR TAX CREDITS TO VETERANS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXA-
 TION  AND  FINANCE;  (B)  PROGRAMS  THAT OFFER DISCOUNTS TO STATE PARKS,
 HISTORIC SITES, AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES TO VETERANS UNDER THE OFFICE
 OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION; (C) PROGRAMS THAT DELIV-
 ER CAREER SERVICES TO  VETERANS  UNDER  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  LABOR;  (D)
 PROGRAMS  THAT  FACILITATE  LONG  TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR VETERAN
 SENIORS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGING; (E)  PROGRAMS  THAT  PROVIDE
 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES, PROGRAMS THAT FACIL-
 ITATE  THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS, AND
 PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT VETERAN HOME OWNERSHIP  UNDER  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF
 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL; (F) PROGRAMS THAT FACILITATE THE CREATION
 OF  AFFORDABLE  HOUSING  SPECIFICALLY  FOR  VETERANS UNDER THE OFFICE OF
 TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE AND/OR THE OFFICE OF MENTAL  HEALTH;
 (G)  PROGRAMS  THAT  PROVIDE FREE OR REDUCED FEE SPORTING LICENSE AND/OR
 PRIVILEGES TO VETERANS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF  ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVA-
 A. 2726                             3
 
 TION;  AND (H) PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION BENEFITS TO
 VETERANS AND VETERAN FAMILY MEMBERS UNDER THE HIGHER EDUCATION  SERVICES
 CORPORATION.
   2.  Departments,  divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies
 of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which  provide  assist-
 ance,  treatment,  counseling,  care,  supervision or custody in service
 areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice
 or employment, including but not limited  to  the  office  of  addiction
 services  and supports, office of mental health, office of probation and
 correctional alternatives,  office  of  children  and  family  services,
 office  of  temporary  and  disability assistance, department of health,
 department of labor,  local  workforce  investment  boards,  office  for
 people  with  developmental  disabilities, and department of corrections
 and community supervision, shall request  assisted  persons  to  provide
 information  with  regard  to  their veteran status and military experi-
 ences. Individuals identifying themselves as veterans shall  be  advised
 that  the  department  of veterans' services and local veterans' service
 agencies established  pursuant  to  section  fourteen  of  this  article
 provide  assistance  to  veterans  regarding  benefits under federal and
 state law. Information regarding veterans status  and  military  service
 provided  by  assisted persons solely to implement this section shall be
 protected as personal confidential information under  article  six-A  of
 the public officers law against disclosure of confidential material, and
 used only to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment and handling
 of  the veteran's problems within the agency requesting such information
 and in referring the veteran to the department of veterans' services for
 information and assistance with  regard  to  benefits  and  entitlements
 under federal and state law.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that:
   (a)  that the amendments to section 354-a of the executive law made by
 section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section  and
 shall be deemed repealed therewith;
   (b)  if  section  2 of part PP of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022 shall
 not have taken effect on or before such date then section  two  of  this
 act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same manner as such
 chapter of the laws of 2022, takes effect; and
   (c) 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 and completed on or  before
 such effective date.