§ 3-a. Veterans employment task force. 1. There shall be in the
department a task force on veterans employment opportunities which shall
consist of the following thirteen members: the state commissioner, or
his or her designee, who shall serve as the chair of the task force; the
commissioner of the office of general services, or his or her designee;
the president of the state civil service commission, or his or her
designee; the commissioner of labor, or his or her designee; the
adjutant general for the state of New York, or his or her designee; two
members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a representative
from the private sector; two members appointed by the temporary
president of the senate, one of whom shall be a representative from the
private sector; two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly,
one of whom shall be a representative from the private sector; one
member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and one member
appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.

2. No member of the task force shall be disqualified from holding any
public office or employment, nor shall he or she forfeit any such office
of employment by virtue of his or her appointment pursuant to this
section.

3. Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their functions pursuant to this section.

4. On an annual basis, the task force shall hold at least two public
hearings. To the extent practicable, such hearings shall be held in
different regions of the state. During the public hearings, the task
force shall hear the testimony of voluntary witnesses, and may request
the production of any documents which are subject to article six of the
public officers law and that the task force deems reasonably necessary
to carry out its responsibilities.

5. The task force shall issue a report no later than March
thirty-first, two thousand twenty-four, and every two years after such
date, to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and the
speaker of the assembly. Such report shall include but not be limited
to:

(a) recommendations on the development of new methods and programs
aimed at assisting the state's veterans in finding and maintaining
meaningful employment opportunities;

(b) an analysis of the current methods and programs;

(c) the impact on veterans employment by professional licensing;

(d) the impact of veterans contractor programs;

(e) the impact of tax credits and municipal grants for hiring
unemployed veterans; and

(f) any private sector initiatives.