S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4160
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 10, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. LEMONDES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Economic Development
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the New
   York urban development corporation act, in relation to establishing  a
   COVID-19  relief  grant  program  for  veterans  service organizations
   impacted by COVID-19; and making an appropriation therefor
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Veterans
 Service Organizations COVID-19 relief act".
   § 2. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of  1968,  constituting  the
 New  York  urban development corporation act, is amended by adding a new
 section 16-aaa to read as follows:
   § 16-AAA. THE COVID-19  RELIEF  GRANT  PROGRAM  FOR  VETERANS  SERVICE
 ORGANIZATIONS.  1.   DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION MEANS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS  CHAR-
 TERED  UNDER  PART B OF SUBTITLE II OF TITLE 36, UNITED STATES CODE, AND
 INCLUDES ANY LOCAL OR AREA CHAPTER, POST, OR OTHER UNIT.
   (B) ELIGIBLE VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION MEANS  A  VETERANS  SERVICE
 ORGANIZATION  THAT  EXPERIENCED A FORTY PERCENT OR GREATER LOSS OF GROSS
 REVENUE DURING EITHER THE 2020 OR 2021 TAX YEAR  AS  COMPARED  TO  THEIR
 GROSS REVENUE DURING THE 2019 TAX YEAR.
   2.  ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES. THE CORPORATION SHALL ESTABLISH A FUND
 TO BE KNOWN AS THE "VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS COVID-19  RELIEF  ACT
 FUND"  AND  SHALL  PAY  INTO  SUCH FUND ANY MONIES MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
 CORPORATION FOR SUCH FUND FROM ANY SOURCE. THE  FUND  SHALL  CONSIST  OF
 SUCH  AMOUNTS  AS  MAY BE APPROPRIATED. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO
 ACCEPT, AS AGENT OF THE STATE,  ANY  GIFT,  GRANT,  DEVISE  OR  BEQUEST,
 WHETHER  CONDITIONAL  OR  UNCONDITIONAL,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO
 FEDERAL GRANTS, AND TO USE MONIES MADE AVAILABLE FOR  THE  PROGRAM  FROM
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01399-01-3
              

 A. 4160                             2
 
 ANY  PUBLIC  OR  PRIVATE  SOURCE,  FOR  THE  PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THE
 PROGRAM. THE CORPORATION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER  FROM  THE  MONIES
 MADE  AVAILABLE  FOR  THE PROGRAM ITS OWN NECESSARY AND DOCUMENTED COSTS
 INCURRED  IN  ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE SUM THAT
 MAY BE RECOVERED FOR THE CORPORATION'S ADMINISTRATIVE  COSTS  SHALL  NOT
 EXCEED  THREE PERCENT OF THE MONIES MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE PROGRAM.  THE
 MONIES HELD IN OR CREDITED TO THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED SOLELY FOR  THE
 PURPOSES  SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION. THE CORPORATION SHALL NOT CO-MINGLE
 THE MONIES OF SUCH FUND WITH ANY OTHER MONIES OF THE CORPORATION OR  ANY
 MONIES HELD IN TRUST BY THE CORPORATION.
   3.  THE  COVID-19  RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZA-
 TIONS. (A) THE CORPORATION SHALL ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM TO  BE  KNOWN
 AS  THE  "COVID-19  RELIEF  GRANT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZA-
 TIONS". THE PROGRAM SHALL  PROVIDE  GRANTS,  WITHIN  APPROPRIATIONS  AND
 FUNDS DESIGNATED THEREFOR, TO ELIGIBLE VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. A
 GRANT  MADE  TO A VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION UNDER THIS PROGRAM SHALL
 NOT EXCEED $50,000.
   (B) AN APPLICATION FOR A GRANT SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
 SUCH  PROCEDURES  AS  THE  CORPORATION  SHALL  ESTABLISH. THE PROCEDURES
 ESTABLISHED BY THE CORPORATION SHALL  INCLUDE  A  REQUIREMENT  THAT  THE
 GRANT  APPLICANT  INCLUDE  INFORMATION TO DEMONSTRATE THE REQUIRED FORTY
 PERCENTAGE LOSS OR GREATER IN GROSS REVENUE DURING THE 2020 OR 2021  TAX
 YEAR,  AND A PLAN FOR THE USE OF SUCH GRANT. ANY VETERANS SERVICE ORGAN-
 IZATION THAT RECEIVES A GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION MAY ONLY USE SUCH GRANT
 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICATION  PLAN  SUBMITTED  FOR  THE  FOLLOWING
 TYPES  OF  EXPENSES OF THE ORGANIZATION: (I) RENT; (II) UTILITIES; (III)
 SCHEDULED MORTGAGE PAYMENTS; (IV) SCHEDULED DEBT PAYMENTS; OR (V)  OTHER
 ORDINARY  AND  NECESSARY BUSINESS EXPENSES, INCLUDING MAINTENANCE COSTS,
 ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS (INCLUDING FEES AND  LICENSING),  STATE  AND  LOCAL
 TAXES AND FEES, OPERATING LEASES, AND INSURANCE PAYMENTS.
   4.  REPORTING  REQUIREMENTS.  THE CORPORATION SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO
 THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SENATE MINORITY
 LEADER, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER ON
 OR BEFORE THE FIRST OF OCTOBER, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, DESCRIBING  THE
 GRANTS  PROVIDED  PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AND SUCH OTHER INFORMATION AS
 THE CORPORATION MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE.
   5. RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE  CORPORATION  IS  HEREBY  AUTHORIZED  TO
 PROMULGATE  RULES  AND REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE ADMINIS-
 TRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT THAT ARE NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF THIS
 SECTION. SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN ONE HUNDRED
 EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   § 3. The sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000), is hereby appropri-
 ated to the urban development corporation out of the moneys in the state
 treasury in the general fund to  the  credit  of  the  veterans  service
 organizations  COVID-19  relief act fund established pursuant to section
 16-aaa of the New York state urban development corporation act.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.