BILL NUMBER: S3031           Revised 2/13/2020

SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the performance of a
study regarding homeless women who are veterans in the state of New York

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill requires the Division of Veterans' Affairs to conduct a study,
in consultation with the office of temporary and disability services,
department of labor, and office of children and family services to
determine the number of homeless women in New York State that are veter-
ans.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This legislation would require the Division of Veterans' Affairs a
study, in consultation with the office of temporary and disability
service, department of labor, and office of children and family services
              

to determine the number of homeless women in New York state that are
veterans. Such study shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) an analysis of female veterans in New York state who are currently
homeless, or have been homeless within five years of being released from
active duty;

(b) data on the number of children of homeless women veterans, including
the current placement of such children;

(c) cases of military sexual trauma experienced by homeless women veter-
ans while on active duty or during military training; and

(d) the unemployment rate for New York state female veterans. The term
"children of homeless veterans" shall mean a person who is unmarried and
who is under the age of eighteen years, and is the biological or legally
adopted child of a female veteran. A written report of such study shall
be delivered to the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the tempo-
rary president of the senate by June 13, 2021 and such information
required pursuant to this subdivision shall be updated every two years.
Such report shall be publicly available and posted on the division of
veterans affairs website.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to the United States Government Accountability Office, women
veterans identified as homeless by the Department of Veterans Affairs
has increased more than 140%, from 1,350 in fiscal year 2006 to 3,328 in
fiscal year 2010.Women veterans are also 4 times more likely than their
male counterparts to end up homeless. About 3,400 of these veterans
could not access shelter and 1/3 had some sort of disability. These
statistics are alarming and become even more distressing when taking
into account that many of these women have children and families. Home-
less women veterans who are single mothers have a tough time finding
adequate shelter, daycare services, and finding gainful employment.

The study and analysis would gather information on the number of home-
less women in New York and how many of them have children. The outcome
of this study would produce recommendations and solutions to combat this
growing problem among women who have served our country.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

02/01/19 REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.