* § 29-d. Staff sergeant Alex R. Jimenez New York state military
immigrant family legacy program. 1. For the purposes of this section,
the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) "Uniformed service member" shall mean a member of the army, navy,
air force, space force, marine corps, coast guard, public health service
commissioned corps, or national oceanic and atmospheric administration
commissioned officer corps serving on active duty.

(b) "The program" shall mean the staff sergeant Alex R. Jimenez
military immigrant family legacy program.

(c) "Liaison" shall mean an employee of the office for new Americans
designated by the director of the office for new Americans, an employee
of the division of military and naval affairs designated by the adjutant
general, and an employee of the department designated by the
commissioner, to serve as a military immigrant family legacy program
liaison pursuant to subdivision three of this section.

(d) "Veteran" shall have the same meaning as such term is defined in
section one of this article and shall also include any veteran with a
qualifying condition, as defined in section one of this article, and has
received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such
service, or is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of
this article, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
dishonorable from such service.

(e) "Intended recipients" shall mean uniformed service members,
veterans, reserve component members and their spouse, domestic partner,
mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother through adoption, father
through adoption, or children, stepchildren, or adopted children. The
term "intended recipients" shall also include the next-of-kin of an
eligible uniformed service member, veteran or reserve component member
who died as a result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by
their service in the uniformed services, making a request for the grant
of posthumous U.S. citizenship on behalf of such uniformed service
member, veteran or reserve component member.

(f) "Reserve component members" shall mean those serving in the army
reserve, navy reserve, marine corps reserve, the army national guard,
the air national guard, or reserve corps of the public health service
during the time the unit was federally recognized as a reserve
component.

2. There is hereby established within the office for new Americans the
staff sergeant Alex R. Jimenez New York state military immigrant family
legacy program. The commissioner and adjutant general shall designate
one or more staff as liaisons to the office for new Americans who shall
refer any intended recipient in need of assistance with an immigration
matter to the office for new Americans. The office for new Americans
shall designate one or more staff to be liaisons with the department and
the division of military and naval affairs who shall coordinate such
referrals from the department and the division of military and naval
affairs and ensure the intended recipient is referred to existing office
for new Americans programs, including, but not limited to, immigration
legal service programs delivered by partnering community organization
and immigration counsel. The primary purpose of the program shall be to
assist intended recipients to secure legal immigration status in the
United States, including but not limited to, citizenship.

3. The office for new Americans shall have the responsibility to:

(a) refer intended recipients in matters related to immigration
status, to service providers.

(b) serve as liaison for the department and the division of military
and naval affairs, local veterans' service agencies, state agencies,
community groups, advocates, and other veterans and military
organizations and interested parties for the purpose of coordinating
efforts to provide access to immigration services to intended recipients
as specified in paragraph (a) of this subdivision.

(c) maintain a toll-free, multi-lingual hotline and website for
purposes including, but not limited to, disseminating information and
resources relating to the program as well as other federal, state, local
and non-profit programs that may offer assistance to intended recipients
in immigration matters.

(d) coordinate with the department and the division of military and
naval affairs and otherwise marshal the resources of the state to serve
the needs of intended recipients.

(e) share information about the program with congressionally chartered
veterans' organizations, and local veterans' service agencies.

4. The liaisons appointed pursuant to subdivision two of this section
shall jointly report the number of intended recipients referred to the
office for new Americans through the program to the commissioner on
January first each year following the first full year after the
effective date of this section. The commissioner shall submit the report
to the governor and the legislature by March first of each year.

5. For the purposes of this program, personally identifying
information provided by intended recipients shall not be retained,
disclosed, disseminated, or otherwise published or made available by the
department, the division of military and naval affairs, or the office
for new Americans.

* NB Effective May 20, 2025