Senate Bill S4349

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

                                  4349

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 21, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  FARLEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern-
  ment Operations

AN ACT to amend the tax law, the state finance  law  and  the  executive
  law,  in  relation to creating a veterans' outreach advisory board and
  authorizing a tax check-off for gifts to such board

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

  Section  1.    The tax law is amended by adding a new section 625-a to
read as follows:
  S 625-A.  GIFTS TO THE VETERANS' OUTREACH  ADVISORY  BOARD.  EFFECTIVE
FOR  ANY TAXABLE YEAR COMMENCING ON OR AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
FOURTEEN, AN INDIVIDUAL IN ANY TAXABLE YEAR MAY ELECT TO  CONTRIBUTE  TO
THE  VETERANS'  OUTREACH ADVISORY BOARD FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR VETER-
ANS' ORGANIZATIONS. SUCH CONTRIBUTION  SHALL  BE  IN  ANY  WHOLE  DOLLAR
AMOUNT  AND  SHALL NOT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STATE TAX OWED BY SUCH INDI-
VIDUAL. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL INCLUDE SPACE ON THE PERSONAL INCOME  TAX
RETURN  TO ENABLE A TAXPAYER TO MAKE SUCH CONTRIBUTION.  NOTWITHSTANDING
ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW  ALL  REVENUES  COLLECTED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
SECTION  SHALL  BE  CREDITED TO THE GIFTS TO VETERANS' OUTREACH ADVISORY
BOARD FUND AND USED ONLY FOR THOSE PURPOSES SET FORTH IN SECTION  EIGHT-
Y-TWO OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW.
  S  2.  The  state finance law is amended by adding a new section 82 to
read as follows:
  S 82.  GIFTS TO VETERANS' OUTREACH ADVISORY BOARD FUND.  1.  THERE  IS
HEREBY ESTABLISHED A GIFTS TO VETERANS' OUTREACH ADVISORY BOARD FUND.
  2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS RECEIVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
TAXATION AND FINANCE FROM GIFTS TO THE VETERANS' OUTREACH ADVISORY BOARD
PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE-A OF THE TAX LAW, AND ALL
OTHER MONEYS APPROPRIATED, CREDITED, OR  TRANSFERRED  THERETO  FROM  ANY
OTHER  FUND  OR  SOURCE  PURSUANT TO LAW. NOTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07898-01-3
              

S. 4349                             2

PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING  GRANTS,  GIFTS  OR  BEQUESTS  FOR  THE
PURPOSES OF THE FUND AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION AND DEPOSITING THEM INTO
THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
  3.  SUCH  MONEYS,  AFTER  APPROPRIATION  BY  THE LEGISLATURE, SHALL BE
AVAILABLE TO THE VETERANS' OUTREACH ADVISORY  BOARD  TO  CARRY  OUT  THE
PURPOSES  SET FORTH IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE OF THE EXECUTIVE
LAW, INCLUDING THE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  COMPETITIVE  GRANTS  TO  VETERANS'
ORGANIZATIONS  WITHIN  THIS  STATE  TO  PROMOTE ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS AND
PROJECTS OF SUCH ORGANIZATIONS.
  4. MONIES SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND  WARRANT  OF
THE  COMPTROLLER  ON  VOUCHERS APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF
VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
  S 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 369 to  read
as follows:
  S  369.  VETERANS'  OUTREACH ADVISORY BOARD. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
LISHED WITHIN THE DIVISION A  VETERANS'  OUTREACH  ADVISORY  BOARD.  THE
MEMBERSHIP  OF  THE  BOARD SHALL CONSIST OF ONE COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS
DIRECTOR FROM EACH OF THE JUDICIAL DISTRICTS OF THE STATE AND THE DIREC-
TOR, WHO SHALL SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF SUCH BOARD. EACH  COUNTY  VETERANS'
AFFAIRS  DIRECTOR  SHALL  BE  CHOSEN  FROM  THE COUNTY VETERANS' AFFAIRS
DIRECTORS WITHIN THE JUDICIAL DISTRICT SERVED BY  SUCH  COUNTY  DIRECTOR
AND  SHALL  SERVE FOR A TERM OF FOUR YEARS. VACANCIES IN OFFICE SHALL BE
FILLED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE REGIONAL APPOINTMENT.
  2. THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL RECEIVE NO  COMPENSATION  FOR  THEIR
SERVICES  AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BUT EACH OF THEM SHALL BE ALLOWED THE
NECESSARY AND ACTUAL EXPENSES  WHICH  HE  OR  SHE  SHALL  INCUR  IN  THE
PERFORMANCE  OF HIS OR HER DUTIES UNDER THIS SECTION. THE DIVISION SHALL
PROVIDE STAFF AND SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR  THE  BOARD  TO  CARRY  OUT  ITS
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
  3.  THE  BOARD  SHALL  MEET  AT  SUCH TIMES AS THE CHAIR MAY DIRECT. A
MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM.
  4. THE VETERANS' OUTREACH  ADVISORY  BOARD  SHALL  BE  AUTHORIZED  AND
EMPOWERED TO:
  A.  MAKE SUCH REASONABLE RULES AND REGULATIONS AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR
THE PROPER OPERATION OF SUCH BOARD;
  B. PROVIDE COMPETITIVE GRANTS TO VETERANS' ORGANIZATIONS  WITHIN  THIS
STATE TO PROMOTE ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS OF SUCH ORGANIZATIONS
WHILE ALSO PROMOTING REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE STATE;
  C.  TO  HAVE ALL OTHER POWERS WHICH MAY BE REASONABLY IMPLIED FROM THE
GRANTING OF EXPRESS POWERS BY THIS SECTION,  TOGETHER  WITH  SUCH  OTHER
POWERS  AS  MAY  BE INCIDENT TO OR NECESSARY FOR THE CARRYING OUT OF THE
PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION; AND
  D. REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND TO THE LEGISLATURE CONCERNING ITS ACTIV-
ITIES AT LEAST ONCE ANNUALLY.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.