S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    80
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, BURDICK -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
 
 AN ACT to amend 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 7 of the veterans' services  law,  as  amended  by
 chapter 449 of the laws of 2024, 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-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00347-01-5
 A. 80                               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 veteran notation on such individual's
 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 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 mili-
 tary 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 confiden-
 tial 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  depart-
 ment of veterans' services for information and assistance with regard to
 benefits and entitlements under federal and state law.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.  Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.