S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  274--B
     Cal. No. 738
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
   ty and Military Affairs -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to  said  committee  --  reported
   favorably  from  said  committee,  ordered to first and second report,
   ordered to a third reading, passed by  Senate  and  delivered  to  the
   Assembly,  recalled,  vote  reconsidered,  restored  to third reading,
   amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place  in  the  order  of
   third reading
 
 AN  ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to establishing
   voluntary opportunities for veterans
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  4  of  the  veterans' services law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision 30-a to read as follows:
   30-A. (A) TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE ON VOLUN-
 TEER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO VETERANS AS DEFINED IN  SECTION  ONE  OF
 THIS ARTICLE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WORKING AT THE DEPARTMENT, OR
 A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT OR EMERGENCY SERVICES PROVIDER.
   (B)  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL POST ON THEIR WEBSITE UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT
 PORTAL ANY RELEVANT APPLICATION FORMS THAT A QUALIFIED VETERAN  CAN  USE
 TO  APPLY  FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES OR TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMA-
 TION.
   § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 15 of the  veterans'  services  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  445  of  the  laws  of 2024, is amended to read as
 follows:
   1. A local veterans' service agency shall have power under the  direc-
 tion  of the state veterans' service agency, and it shall be its duty to
 inform military and naval authorities of the United  States  and  assist
 members  of  the  uniformed  services and veterans, who are residents of
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00883-05-5
 S. 274--B                           2
 
 this state, and their families, in relation to (1) matters pertaining to
 educational training and retraining services and facilities, (2) health,
 medical and rehabilitation services and facilities,  (3)  provisions  of
 federal,  state  and local laws and regulations affording special rights
 and privileges to members of the uniformed  services  and  veterans  and
 their families, (4) employment and re-employment services, (5) the proc-
 ess  of  submitting  an  application  for  a  discharge  upgrade  to the
 discharge upgrade advisory board, [and] (6) VOLUNTEER  OPPORTUNITIES  AT
 THE  DEPARTMENT  AND  VOLUNTEER  FIRE  DEPARTMENTS OR EMERGENCY SERVICES
 PROVIDERS, AND (7) other matters  of  similar,  related  or  appropriate
 nature.   The local veterans' service agency may also assist families of
 members of the reserve components of  the  uniformed  services  and  the
 organized  militia ordered into active duty to ensure that they are made
 aware of and are receiving all appropriate support available to them and
 are placed in contact with the agencies responsible  for  such  support,
 including,  but  not  limited  to,  the  division  of military and naval
 affairs and other state agencies responsible for providing such support.
 The local veterans' service agency also shall perform such other  duties
 as may be assigned by the state commissioner.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such date.