S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7544
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               June 5, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. SCARCELLA-SPANTON -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to requiring all
   state agencies to appoint veterans' liaisons
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  veterans'  services  law  is amended by adding a new
 section 29-b to read as follows:
   § 29-B. VETERANS' LIAISONS. 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION THE TERM "STATE
 AGENCY" SHALL MEAN ANY DEPARTMENT, BOARD, BUREAU, DIVISION,  COMMISSION,
 COUNCIL OR COMMITTEE WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.
   2. EACH STATE AGENCY SHALL DESIGNATE AT LEAST ONE EMPLOYEE TO ACT AS A
 LIAISON  WITH VETERANS WITHIN SUCH AGENCY OR SERVED BY SUCH AGENCY. SUCH
 LIAISON SHALL BE FUNDED FROM EXISTING  APPROPRIATIONS  IN  EACH  AGENCY.
 UPON  DESIGNATING A VETERANS' LIAISON, WHICH SHALL BE DONE WITHIN NINETY
 DAYS, ALL STATE AGENCIES SHALL INFORM  THE  DEPARTMENT  IN  A  FORM  AND
 MANNER TO BE PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT. AN EMPLOYEE DESIGNATED TO ACT
 AS  A VETERANS' LIAISON MUST FIRST COMPLETE AN INITIAL TRAINING PROVIDED
 BY APPROPRIATE STAFF DESIGNATED BY THE DEPARTMENT  BEFORE  ASSUMING  THE
 DUTIES  OF A VETERANS' LIAISON.  THEREAFTER ALL VETERANS' LIAISONS SHALL
 ANNUALLY RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL TRAININGS PROVIDED BY  THE  DEPARTMENT.  A
 STATE  AGENCY  MAY  ALSO, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT, PRESCRIBE
 SUCH ADDITIONAL TRAININGS FOR ITS VETERANS' LIAISONS AS IT DEEMS  NECES-
 SARY  AND RELEVANT TO ASSISTING VETERANS EMPLOYED OR SERVED BY THE AGEN-
 CY.
   3. EACH STATE AGENCY SHALL CONSPICUOUSLY POST  THE  NAME  AND  CONTACT
 INFORMATION OF ITS CURRENT VETERANS' LIAISONS ON ITS WEBSITE AND A LIST-
 ING  OF  ALL  STATE AGENCY VETERANS' LIAISONS SHALL BE MAINTAINED BY THE
 DEPARTMENT AND UPDATED AT LEAST ANNUALLY ON ITS WEBSITE.
   4. THE DUTIES OF A VETERANS' LIAISON MAY INCLUDE BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED
 TO: (A) PROVIDING INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS REGARDING BENE-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10588-03-3
              

 S. 7544                             2
 
 FITS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO VETERANS AT THE LIAISON'S AGENCY OR OTHER
 STATE  AGENCIES  INCLUDING  THE DEPARTMENT; (B) ENSURING ACTIVE COMMUNI-
 CATION, COORDINATION AND COOPERATION ARE MAINTAINED WITH MEMBERS OF  THE
 PUBLIC  AS WELL AS OTHER STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES REGARDING THE AGENCY'S
 EFFORTS TO ASSIST VETERANS; (C) ADVISING AGENCY STAFF AS TO HOW TO IDEN-
 TIFY AND ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF VETERANS WITHIN OR  SERVED  BY  THE
 AGENCY;  (D)  INFORMING  VETERANS  WITHIN  THE  AGENCY  AS TO APPLICABLE
 EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL POLICIES; (E) PROMOTING THE  RECRUITMENT,  RETENTION,
 AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF VETERAN EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE AGENCY; AND
 (F)  MAKING  EFFORTS  TO  IDENTIFY VETERANS AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF
 THIS ARTICLE WITHIN OR SERVED BY THE AGENCY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
   5. INFORMATION RECEIVED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION WILL BE  PROVIDED  TO
 THE  DEPARTMENT. INFORMATION COLLECTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 PROTECTED UNDER ARTICLE SIX-A OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW AGAINST DISCLO-
 SURE OF CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL AND USED ONLY TO DETERMINE THE  NUMBER  OF
 VETERANS  WHO  ARE EMPLOYED BY OR SEEKING SERVICES FROM THE STATE OF NEW
 YORK.
   6. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP GUIDELINES AND A BEST PRACTICES  DOCU-
 MENT FOR VETERANS' LIAISONS IN CONSULTATION WITH STATE AGENCIES AND WITH
 INPUT SOLICITED FROM THE VETERANS' LIAISONS DESIGNATED BY SUCH AGENCIES.
 FURTHER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INCLUDE ENGAGEMENT WITH VETERANS' LIAISONS
 AS PART OF ITS EFFORTS TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH STATE
 AGENCIES  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION THIRTY-SEVEN OF SECTION FOUR OF THIS
 ARTICLE.
   7. THE ANNUAL REPORT REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION SEVENTEEN OF SECTION FOUR
 OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL CONTAIN A DESCRIPTION OF THE  DEPARTMENT'S  ACTIV-
 ITIES AND COLLABORATIONS WITH VETERANS' LIAISONS AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS
 OF  THE DEPARTMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE VETERANS' LIAISONS PROGRAM ESTAB-
 LISHED UNDER THIS SECTION.
   § 2. Subdivision 37 of section 4 of  the  veterans'  services  law  is
 amended to read as follows:
   37.  To  develop collaborative relationships among state, federal, and
 local agencies, VETERANS' LIAISONS PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY NINE-B  OF
 THIS  ARTICLE,  and  private organizations, including but not limited to
 the office of mental health, state office for the aging, and  office  of
 addiction  services  and supports, to help facilitate access to services
 by members of the uniformed services and veterans who are  residents  of
 the state and their families.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.