S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4660--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  CRUZ, ASHBY -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Operations  --  committee  discharged,  bill
   amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
   tee
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the  Alex
   R. 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) "UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBER" SHALL MEAN A MEMBER OF THE ARMY,  NAVY,
 AIR FORCE, SPACE CORPS, MARINE CORPS, COAST GUARD, PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
 COMMISSIONED  CORPS,  OR NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
 COMMISSIONED OFFICER CORPS SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY.
   (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 A PERSON WHO SERVED IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL
 OR AIR SERVICE AND WHO WAS DISCHARGED OR RELEASED UNDER CONDITIONS OTHER
 THAN DISHONORABLE.
   (E) "INTENDED RECIPIENTS" SHALL MEAN UNIFORMED SERVICE MEMBERS, VETER-
 ANS, RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
   (F) "RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS" SHALL MEAN THOSE SERVING IN  THE  ARMY
 RESERVE,  NAVY RESERVE, MARINE CORPS RESERVE, THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OR
 THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD DURING THE TIME THE UNIT WAS FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED
 AS A RESERVE COMPONENT.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD07199-09-1

 A. 4660--A                          2
 
   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 OFFICE FOR NEW AMERICANS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION NINE-
 TY-FOUR-B OF THIS CHAPTER, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
 SECTION. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM SHALL BE TO ASSIST  INTENDED
 RECIPIENTS  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) ASSISTING INTENDED RECIPIENTS 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 AUTHORI-
 ZATION ACT, OR ANY OTHER SORT OF RELIEF THAT CAN LEAD TO CITIZENSHIP.
   (B) COMMUNICATION WITH THE DIRECTOR  OF  VETERANS'  SERVICES  AND  THE
 ADJUTANT  GENERAL  AND  THE  OFFICE FOR NEW AMERICANS REGARDING EXISTING
 POLICIES AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE NEEDS OF INTENDED  RECIPIENTS
 AND  TO  MAKE  RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE IMPROVEMENT OF BENEFITS AND
 SERVICES TO SUCH INTENDED RECIPIENTS.
   (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) CONSULTING WITH 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 INTENDED RECIPIENTS.
   (F)  DEVELOPING  AND  MAINTAINING  A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR INFORMATION AND
 RESOURCES RELATING TO THE PROGRAM.
   (G) PROMOTING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT EDUCATE AND  ASSIST  INTENDED
 RECIPIENTS,  INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO, VETERAN HUMAN RIGHTS CONFER-
 ENCES, VETERANS BENEFIT AND RESOURCES EVENTS.
   (H) INCLUDING THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT INTENDED RECIPIENTS HAVE MADE  ON
 BEHALF  OF  THE  UNITED STATES AND THIS STATE ON THE DIVISION'S OFFICIAL
 WEBSITE.
   (I) DEVELOPING INFORMATION TO BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  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  ELIGIBILITY  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  ADJUSTMENT  OF
 STATUS, CITIZENSHIP, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF AVAILABLE RELIEF.
   (J)  PREPARING  REPORTS  ON  TOPICS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
 DEMOGRAPHICS OF INTENDED RECIPIENTS, THE NUMBER OF SUCH INTENDED RECIPI-
 ENTS BY COUNTY, AND THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE INTENDED  RECIPIENTS  WITHIN
 NEW  YORK STATE TO THE DIRECTOR, THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE DIVISION OF
 MILITARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS AND THE OFFICE FOR NEW AMERICANS.
   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

 A. 4660--A                          3
 
 DATE  OF THIS SECTION. SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
 A DESCRIPTION OF THE COORDINATORS' ACTIVITIES FOR THE PRECEDING CALENDAR
 YEAR. THE DIRECTOR SHALL SUBMIT THE  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE
 LEGISLATURE  IN  ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED
 FIFTY-THREE OF THIS ARTICLE. THE ADJUTANT GENERAL  OF  THE  DIVISION  OF
 MILITARY  AND  NAVAL AFFAIRS SHALL SUBMIT THE REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND
 THE LEGISLATURE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED
 SIXTY-FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER.
   § 2. Section 353 of the executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 19-a to read as follows:
   19-A.  TO  ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AND PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISH-
 MENT OF A STATE MILITARY IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM COORDINATOR, AS
 PROVIDED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR-F OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 3. The military law is amended by adding a new section 255  to  read
 as follows:
   §  255.  STATE  MILITARY  IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM SUPPORT. THE
 ADJUTANT GENERAL SHALL ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AND PROVIDE FOR  THE
 ESTABLISHMENT  OF A STATE MILITARY IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM COOR-
 DINATOR, AS PROVIDED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR-F OF THE EXECU-
 TIVE LAW.
   § 4. Paragraph (l) of subdivision 5 of section 94-b of  the  executive
 law,  as added by chapter 206 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as
 follows:
   (l) (I) Coordinate with other state agencies and otherwise marshal the
 resources of the state to serve the needs of immigrants, AND (II) ADVISE
 THE STATE MILITARY IMMIGRANT FAMILY LEGACY PROGRAM COORDINATORS PURSUANT
 TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR-F OF THIS CHAPTER;
   § 5. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.