Senate Bill S8504

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Establishes a COVID-19 relief grant program for veterans service organizations impacted by COVID-19; and makes an appropriation therefor

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 08, 2022	referred to finance

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2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9866
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Appropriations
Laws Affected:: Add §16-aaa, UDC Act
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: A4160

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a COVID-19 relief grant program for veterans service organizations impacted by COVID-19 to provide grants to eligible veterans service organizations to defray certain expenses of the organization including rent, utilities, scheduled mortgage payments, scheduled debt payments and other ordinary and necessary business expenses; makes an appropriation therefor.

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8504

SPONSOR: JORDAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

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

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 establishes this act as the Veterans Service Organizations
Covid-19 relief act.

Section 2 amends the urban development corporation act by adding a new
section 16-aaa which establishes the Covid-19 Relief Grant Program for
Veterans Service Organizations under the auspices of the Empire State
Development Corporation. This section defines "Veteran service organiza-
tion", outlines the parameters of the program, establishes the veterans
services organization Covid-19 relief act fund, and also outlines the
procedures for applying for funds under the program.  This section addi-
tionally establishes that rent, utilities, scheduled mortgage payments,

scheduled debt payments, or other ordinary and necessary business
expenses are the purposes for which grants from the program established
under this section can be used.

Section 3 appropriates ten million dollars for the implementation of the
program established under Section 2 of this act.

Section 4 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Veterans service organizations (VSOs) are important social gathering
places and program providers for those who have heroically served our
country. These Congressionally chartered organizations include the Amer-
ican Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Disabled American
Veterans (DAV), just to name a few of the dozens of organizations char-
tered under Federal law. These organizations help veterans access
services from the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs, provide commu-
nity programs, offer information about State and local programs, and
offer a wide array of other programs including substance abuse coun-
seling and job training. VSOs have become a critical part of our socie-
tal framework for helping veterans and offering them a space to frater-
nize with those who best understand the sacrifices they have made.

VSOs have faced many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially
with multi-generational membership that includes older, at-risk veter-
ans. The many events that VSOs rely on to generate revenue - fundrais-
ers, bingo and other games, breakfasts, banquet hall rentals, among
others - were all canceled, leading many local posts and chapters with-
out the key income streams they budget for.  This problem is not only a
New York one; Pennsylvania's Observer Reporter, for instance, shared
stories of American Legion posts losing up to 75% of their income and
loss of key services and supports that address PTSD in veterans. During
the height of the pandemic, some VSOs turned to offering take-out food
to pay its bills. Even with these shortcomings and challenges, many VSOs
continued to look after their own, with members checking in on other
members, volunteering at veterans' hospitals, and providing emergency
aid to members.

It is incumbent upon the State of New York to do everything within its
power to strengthen the VSOs, which serve our heroic veterans.  Accord-
ingly, this legislation, the "Veterans Service Organizations COVID-19
Relief Act", creates a fund under Empire State Development Corporation
for the distribution of grant funds for VSOs.  Specifically, these
grants can be used to pay for the organizations' rent, utilities, mort-
gage payments, debt payments, or other ordinary business expenses such
as maintenance and administration costs, insurance payments, lease
payments, as well as taxes and fees. This common sense approach will
give our VSOs a hand up in restoring their normal operations and, conse-
quently, will ensure that our State's heroes will still have places to
congregate with other veterans and receive the services to which they
are entitled.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

$10,000,000.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8504
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 8, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. JORDAN, ORTT -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 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
 S. 8504                             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.

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Senate Bill S8504

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

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co-Sponsors

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S8504 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments