S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9866
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 19, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. LEMONDES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Economic Development
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the New
   York urban development corporation act, in relation to establishing  a
   COVID-19  relief  grant  program  for  veterans  service organizations
   impacted by COVID-19; and making an appropriation therefor

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Veterans
 Service Organizations COVID-19 relief act".
   § 2. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of  1968,  constituting  the
 New  York  urban development corporation act, is amended by adding a new
 section 16-aaa to read as follows:
   § 16-AAA. THE COVID-19  RELIEF  GRANT  PROGRAM  FOR  VETERANS  SERVICE
 ORGANIZATIONS.  1.   DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION MEANS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS  CHAR-
 TERED  UNDER  PART B OF SUBTITLE II OF TITLE 36, UNITED STATES CODE, AND
 INCLUDES ANY LOCAL OR AREA CHAPTER, POST, OR OTHER UNIT.
   (B) ELIGIBLE VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION MEANS  A  VETERANS  SERVICE
 ORGANIZATION  THAT  EXPERIENCED A FORTY PERCENT OR GREATER LOSS OF GROSS
 REVENUE DURING EITHER THE 2020 OR 2021 TAX YEAR  AS  COMPARED  TO  THEIR
 GROSS REVENUE DURING THE 2019 TAX YEAR.
   2.  ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES. THE CORPORATION SHALL ESTABLISH A FUND
 TO BE KNOWN AS THE "VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS COVID-19  RELIEF  ACT
 FUND"  AND  SHALL  PAY  INTO  SUCH FUND ANY MONIES MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
 CORPORATION FOR SUCH FUND FROM ANY SOURCE. THE  FUND  SHALL  CONSIST  OF
 SUCH  AMOUNTS  AS  MAY BE APPROPRIATED. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO
 ACCEPT, AS AGENT OF THE STATE,  ANY  GIFT,  GRANT,  DEVISE  OR  BEQUEST,
 WHETHER  CONDITIONAL  OR  UNCONDITIONAL,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO
 FEDERAL GRANTS, AND TO USE MONIES MADE AVAILABLE FOR  THE  PROGRAM  FROM
 ANY  PUBLIC  OR  PRIVATE  SOURCE,  FOR  THE  PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THE
 PROGRAM. THE CORPORATION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER  FROM  THE  MONIES
 MADE  AVAILABLE  FOR  THE PROGRAM ITS OWN NECESSARY AND DOCUMENTED COSTS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14958-01-2
 A. 9866                             2
 
 INCURRED IN ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE  SUM  THAT
 MAY  BE  RECOVERED  FOR THE CORPORATION'S ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS SHALL NOT
 EXCEED THREE PERCENT OF THE MONIES MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE PROGRAM.   THE
 MONIES  HELD IN OR CREDITED TO THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED SOLELY FOR THE
 PURPOSES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION. THE CORPORATION SHALL NOT  CO-MINGLE
 THE  MONIES OF SUCH FUND WITH ANY OTHER MONIES OF THE CORPORATION OR ANY
 MONIES HELD IN TRUST BY THE CORPORATION.
   3. THE COVID-19 RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM FOR  VETERANS  SERVICE  ORGANIZA-
 TIONS.  (A)  THE CORPORATION SHALL ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM TO BE KNOWN
 AS THE "COVID-19 RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM  FOR  VETERANS  SERVICE  ORGANIZA-
 TIONS".  THE  PROGRAM  SHALL  PROVIDE  GRANTS, WITHIN APPROPRIATIONS AND
 FUNDS DESIGNATED THEREFOR, TO ELIGIBLE VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. A
 GRANT MADE TO A VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION UNDER THIS  PROGRAM  SHALL
 NOT EXCEED $50,000.
   (B)  AN  APPLICATION FOR A GRANT SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
 SUCH PROCEDURES AS  THE  CORPORATION  SHALL  ESTABLISH.  THE  PROCEDURES
 ESTABLISHED  BY  THE  CORPORATION  SHALL  INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT THAT THE
 GRANT APPLICANT INCLUDE INFORMATION TO DEMONSTRATE  THE  REQUIRED  FORTY
 PERCENTAGE  LOSS OR GREATER IN GROSS REVENUE DURING THE 2020 OR 2021 TAX
 YEAR, AND A PLAN FOR THE USE OF SUCH GRANT. ANY VETERANS SERVICE  ORGAN-
 IZATION THAT RECEIVES A GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION MAY ONLY USE SUCH GRANT
 IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE  APPLICATION  PLAN SUBMITTED FOR THE FOLLOWING
 TYPES OF EXPENSES OF THE ORGANIZATION: (I) RENT; (II)  UTILITIES;  (III)
 SCHEDULED  MORTGAGE PAYMENTS; (IV) SCHEDULED DEBT PAYMENTS; OR (V) OTHER
 ORDINARY AND NECESSARY BUSINESS EXPENSES, INCLUDING  MAINTENANCE  COSTS,
 ADMINISTRATIVE  COSTS  (INCLUDING  FEES  AND LICENSING), STATE AND LOCAL
 TAXES AND FEES, OPERATING LEASES, AND INSURANCE PAYMENTS.
   4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. THE CORPORATION SHALL SUBMIT  A  REPORT  TO
 THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE SENATE MINORITY
 LEADER, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER ON
 OR  BEFORE THE FIRST OF OCTOBER, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, DESCRIBING THE
 GRANTS PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AND SUCH OTHER  INFORMATION  AS
 THE CORPORATION MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE.
   5.  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS.  THE  CORPORATION IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO
 PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE  STATE  ADMINIS-
 TRATIVE PROCEDURE ACT THAT ARE NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF THIS
 SECTION. SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN ONE HUNDRED
 EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   § 3. The sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000), is hereby appropri-
 ated to the urban development corporation out of the moneys in the state
 treasury  in  the  general  fund  to  the credit of the veterans service
 organizations COVID-19 relief act fund established pursuant  to  section
 16-aaa of the New York state urban development corporation act.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.