Senate Bill S2825

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 2825--A

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 4, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  ADAMS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
  ty and Military Affairs -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the executive law, in  relation  to  a  veteran  speaker
  education program within the division of veterans' affairs

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1.  Legislative findings and intent.  The  legislature  hereby
finds that the defining moments of our nation's history came in wartime,
especially  during  the  great  conflicts  of the twentieth century. The
legislature further maintains that it is imperative that all of society,
and particularly young people, be aware of the  contributions  of  those
who participated in these conflicts as members of the armed forces.
  These  men  and  women  established a remarkable record of service and
sacrifice. They were ordinary men and women who did extraordinary things
to preserve and protect our nation and  its  cherished  freedoms.  Their
personal accounts, which constitute a valuable historical record, are in
danger  of being lost forever as these individuals pass away. The legis-
lature, therefore, has determined that it is necessary  and  appropriate
to  take  steps  to help encourage greater knowledge and appreciation of
veterans, particularly in our schools.
  In this regard, many states have already enacted school-based programs
honoring those who served in the military.   The legislature  now  finds
and  declares  that New York should make available to students, teachers
and administrators in public and private schools  a  new  resource  that
will  encourage  greater  understanding and appreciation of the contrib-
ution of veterans.
  S 2. The executive law is amended by adding a  new  section  353-a  to
read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04301-05-9

              

S. 2825--A                          2

  S  353-A. VETERAN SPEAKER EDUCATION PROGRAM. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
LISHED WITHIN THE DIVISION A VETERAN SPEAKER  EDUCATION  PROGRAM  TO  BE
DEVELOPED  AND  IMPLEMENTED  BY  THE  DIRECTOR  IN CONSULTATION WITH THE
DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK STATE MILITARY  MUSEUM  AND  VETERANS  RESOURCE
CENTER  AND  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. SUCH
PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THIS STATE WITH A  LISTING
OF  AVAILABLE  VETERAN  SPEAKERS  WILLING  TO  VISIT  CLASSROOMS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THEIR MILITARY EXPERIENCE.
  2. THE DIVISION SHALL DEVELOP AN INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLET TO BE DISTRIB-
UTED EITHER BY MAIL OR ELECTRONICALLY TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHICH PROVIDES
A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM  INCLUDING  ITS  PURPOSE  AND  HOW  TO
PARTICIPATE.  THE DIVISION SHALL, FROM ITS AVAILABLE RESOURCES INCLUDING
ASSISTANCE FROM ORGANIZED VETERANS GROUPS, APPOINT AND CREATE A  LISTING
OF  VETERAN SPEAKERS COORDINATORS FOR EACH COUNTY OF THE STATE WHO SHALL
BE LISTED IN THE INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLET.  THE VETERAN SPEAKERS COORDINA-
TORS' DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO CONTACTING VETERANS WHO
RESIDE IN THEIR COUNTY INCLUDING THOSE  WHO  HAVE  PARTICIPATED  IN  THE
VETERAN'S  ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM AT THE NEW YORK STATE MILITARY MUSEUM OR
THE WEST POINT ORAL HISTORY PROJECT OR THE VETERANS HISTORY  PROJECT  OF
THE  AMERICAN  FOLKLORE  CENTER OR ANY SIMILAR ORAL HISTORY PROJECT WITH
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND INQUIRING AS TO WHETHER SUCH  PERSONS
WOULD  BE  WILLING  TO PARTICIPATE AS SPEAKERS OR IN ANY OTHER CAPACITY.
THE LISTING SHALL INCLUDE THE NAMES AND  CONTACT  INFORMATION  FOR  SUCH
VETERANS  INCLUDING  INFORMATION DESCRIBING THE TYPE OF MILITARY SERVICE
PERFORMED BY EACH SUCH PERSON, THE TIME AND LENGTH OF SERVICE, GEOGRAPH-
IC AREA OR AREAS WHERE SUCH PERSON SERVED AND RANK. THE DIVISION AND THE
VETERAN SPEAKERS COORDINATORS SHALL  ANNUALLY  UPDATE  SUCH  INFORMATION
REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF SUCH VETERANS.
  3.  NO  TEACHER  OR  VETERAN  SHALL BE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS
PROGRAM. ANY TEACHER WHO WISHES  TO  SUPPLEMENT  HIS  OR  HER  CLASSROOM
INSTRUCTION CONCERNING A PARTICULAR ERA IN AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY MAY
CONTACT  A  PARTICIPATING VETERAN PERSONALLY TO REQUEST THAT SUCH PERSON
VISIT A CLASSROOM TO DISCUSS HIS OR HER MILITARY EXPERIENCE.  A  TEACHER
SHALL  BE  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  ASCERTAINING  THE  APPROPRIATENESS  OF  ANY
PROPOSED SPEAKER BASED UPON THE AGE OF THE  CHILDREN  AND  THE  INTENDED
SUBJECT  MATTER.  NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE INTENDED TO SUPERSEDE
ANY PARTICULAR OR GENERAL SCHOOL RULES  OR  REGULATIONS  OR  OTHER  LAWS
RELATING TO CURRICULUM.
  4.  THE  DIVISION  SHALL  REQUIRE  A  CERTIFIED  COPY OF THE VETERAN'S
DISCHARGE PAPERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE  VETERAN  SPEAKER  PROGRAM.  SUCH
FORM  SHALL  BE  FILED  WITH THE DIVISION TO SERVE AS EVIDENCE THAT SUCH
PERSON IS A VETERAN WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY HONORABLY.
  5. THE DIVISION SHALL IMPLEMENT A PROCEDURE FOR  EVALUATIONS  OF  EACH
SPEAKER  TO  BE  COMPLETED  BY  TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AND MAINTAIN SUCH
EVALUATIONS AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST TO OTHER  TEACHERS  WHO
PLAN TO PARTICIPATE.
  6.  THE DIVISION MAY CONSULT WITH OTHER VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS AND ANY
BRANCH OF THE U.S. MILITARY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROGRAM.
  S 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
law, provided that any rules and regulations necessary for the implemen-
tation  of  this  act  on  its effective date shall be promulgated on or
before such date.