S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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4660
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 4, 2021
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Introduced by M. of A. CRUZ, ASHBY -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the Alex
Jimenez New York state military immigrant family legacy program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 354-f
to read as follows:
§ 354-F. STAFF SERGEANT ALEX R. JIMENEZ NEW YORK STATE MILITARY IMMI-
GRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE
FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "SERVICE MEMBER" SHALL MEAN A MEMBER OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES,
CONSISTING OF THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINE CORPS, COAST GUARD,
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSIONED CORPS, OR NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMO-
SPHERIC ADMINISTRATION COMMISSIONED OFFICER CORPS.
(B) "THE PROGRAM" SHALL MEAN THE STAFF SERGEANT ALEX R. JIMENEZ MILI-
TARY IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM.
(C) "COORDINATOR" SHALL MEAN A MILITARY IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY
PROGRAM COORDINATOR APPOINTED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS
SECTION.
(D) "VETERAN" SHALL MEAN THOSE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE UNITED
STATES ARMED FORCES, IN THE SELECTED RESERVE OF THE READY RESERVE OR WHO
PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES OR SELECTED RESERVE
OF THE READY RESERVE.
2. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DIVISION OF VETERANS'
SERVICES, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL
AFFAIRS, THE STAFF SERGEANT ALEX R. JIMENEZ NEW YORK STATE MILITARY
IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM WHICH SHALL BE JOINTLY DEVELOPED AND
IMPLEMENTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' SERVICES AND THE ADJUTANT
GENERAL OF THE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS, IN CONSULTATION
WITH THE VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07199-02-1
A. 4660 2
OF THIS SECTION. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM SHALL BE TO ASSIST
THE FOREIGN-BORN FAMILY MEMBERS OF NEW YORK STATE VETERANS, DISCHARGED
LGBT VETERANS, AND CURRENTLY SERVING SERVICE MEMBERS, AS WELL AS NON-CI-
TIZEN SERVICE MEMBERS OR VETERANS, TO SECURE LEGAL IMMIGRATION STATUS IN
THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CITIZENSHIP.
3. TWO MILITARY IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM COORDINATORS SHALL BE
APPOINTED, ONE APPOINTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' SERVICES AND ONE
BY THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS,
TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. EACH COORDINATOR SHALL BE A VETERAN. THE
COORDINATORS' DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
(A) THE IDENTIFICATION, DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, AND COOR-
DINATION OF ALL STATEWIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES NECESSARY TO ASSIST
FOREIGN-BORN FAMILY MEMBERS OF NEW YORK STATE VETERANS, DISCHARGED LGBT
VETERANS, AND CURRENTLY SERVING SERVICE MEMBERS, AS WELL AS NON-CITIZEN
SERVICE MEMBERS OR VETERANS, WHO MAY QUALIFY FOR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS,
SPECIAL IMMIGRATION STATUS THROUGH THE FEDERAL PAROLE IN PLACE PROGRAM
AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 1758 OF THE 2020 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
ACT, OR ANY OTHER SORT OF RELIEF THAT CAN LEAD TO CITIZENSHIP;
(B) COMMUNICATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF VETERANS' SERVICES AND THE
ADJUTANT GENERAL TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL EXISTING POLICIES AND
REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE NEEDS OF VETERANS, LGBT DISCHARGED VETER-
ANS, AND CURRENTLY SERVING SERVICE MEMBERS ON THE STATE AND FEDERAL
LEVEL AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE IMPROVEMENT OF BENEFITS
AND SERVICES TO SUCH VETERANS, LGBT DISCHARGED VETERANS, AND CURRENTLY
SERVING SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FOREIGN-BORN FAMILY MEMBERS.
(C) SERVING AS LIAISON BETWEEN THE DIVISIONS, THE UNITED STATES CITI-
ZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT,
THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, LOCAL VETERANS'
SERVICE AGENCIES, STATE AGENCIES, COMMUNITY GROUPS, ADVOCATES, AND OTHER
VETERANS AND MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS AND INTERESTED PARTIES.
(D) WHERE NECESSARY, ENGAGING THE SERVICES OF QUALIFIED IMMIGRATION
ATTORNEYS OR DULY AUTHORIZED BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS APPROVED
REPRESENTATIVES TO FACILITATE SUCH COORDINATION WITH THE UNITED STATES
CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES OR OTHER APPROPRIATE AGENCY.
(E) ADVOCATING FOR ALL VETERANS, LGBT DISCHARGED VETERANS, AND
CURRENTLY SERVING SERVICE MEMBERS IN THE STATE AND THEIR FOREIGN-BORN
FAMILY MEMBERS.
(F) DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR INFORMATION AND
RESOURCES RELATING TO THE PROGRAM.
(G) PROMOTING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT EDUCATE AND ASSIST SERVICE
MEMBERS AND VETERANS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SEMINARS REQUIRED
UNDER SUBDIVISION FOUR-B OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE OF THIS
ARTICLE, VETERAN HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCES, VETERANS BENEFIT AND
RESOURCES EVENTS.
(H) INCLUDING THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT FOREIGN-BORN VETERANS, LGBT
DISCHARGED VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FOREIGN-BORN FAMILY
MEMBERS HAVE MADE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES AND THIS STATE ON THE
DIVISION'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
(I) DEVELOPING INFORMATIONAL PAMPHLETS TO BE DISTRIBUTED EITHER BY
MAIL OR ELECTRONICALLY TO CURRENTLY SERVING MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK
STATE NATIONAL GUARD, CONGRESSIONALLY CHARTERED VETERANS' ORGANIZATIONS,
AND LOCAL VETERANS' SERVICES AGENCIES TO PROVIDE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF
THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ITS PURPOSE AND THE ELIGIBIL-
ITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS, CITIZENSHIP, OR ANY OTHER
FORM OF AVAILABLE RELIEF.
A. 4660 3
(J) PREPARING REPORTS ON TOPICS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF FOREIGN-BORN SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THEIR
FOREIGN-BORN FAMILY MEMBERS, THE NUMBER OF SUCH SERVICE MEMBERS, VETER-
ANS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS BY COUNTY, AND THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE FOREIGN-
BORN SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS' POPULATION WITHIN NEW YORK STATE TO
THE DIRECTOR AND THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND
NAVAL AFFAIRS.
4. THE COORDINATORS SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE DIRECTOR AND TO THE
ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS ON JANU-
ARY FIRST EACH YEAR FOLLOWING THE FIRST FULL YEAR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE
DATE OF THIS SECTION. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
A DESCRIPTION OF THE COORDINATORS' ACTIVITIES FOR THE PRECEDING CALENDAR
YEAR AND THE PROGRAMS DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
SECTION. THE DIRECTOR AND THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE DIVISION OF MILI-
TARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS SHALL EACH SUBMIT THE REPORT OR A SYNOPSIS OF THE
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE TEMPORARY
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE WITHIN ONE MONTH OF RECEIVING THE REPORT FROM
THE COORDINATORS.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.