Senate Bill S9851

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9851
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               April 8, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. SCARCELLA-SPANTON -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on  Veterans,  Home-
   land Security and Military Affairs
 
 AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to expanding the
   veterans' services commission
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 3 of the veterans' services law is amended to  read
 as follows:
   §  3.  Veterans' services commission. 1. There shall be in the depart-
 ment a veterans' services commission, which shall consist of the members
 and the ex officio members provided for in this section.
   2. (A) There shall be [thirteen] FIFTEEN  members  of  the  commission
 [who  shall  be veterans] appointed by the governor. THIRTEEN MEMBERS OF
 THE COMMISSION SHALL BE VETERANS, including two appointed on recommenda-
 tion of the temporary president of the senate, one appointed  on  recom-
 mendation  of the minority leader of the senate, two appointed on recom-
 mendation  of  the  speaker  of  the  assembly,  and  one  appointed  on
 recommendation  of  the minority leader of the assembly. The appointment
 of members made by the governor without recommendation shall be  subject
 to advice and consent of the senate. The members of the commission shall
 serve for terms of three years each. Appointed members presently serving
 on  the commission shall continue to serve for the remainder of the term
 appointed. Any member chosen to fill a  vacancy  of  such  an  appointed
 member occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be appointed
 for  the  remainder  of the unexpired term of the member whom [he or she
 is] THEY ARE to succeed. Members appointed as provided in this  subdivi-
 sion  shall  receive  no salary or other compensation, but each shall be
 entitled to receive expenses actually and necessarily  incurred  in  the
 performance of their duties.
   (B) THE GOVERNOR SHALL CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING WHEN MAKING APPOINTMENTS
 UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION:
   (I)  MEMBERS  OF CONGRESSIONALLY CHARTERED VETERANS' SERVICE ORGANIZA-
 TIONS OR ORGANIZATIONS  APPROVED  BY  THE  U.S.  SECRETARY  OF  VETERANS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD15093-02-6
 S. 9851                             2
 
 AFFAIRS  PURSUANT  TO  38  U.S.C. § 5902. THE GOVERNOR MAY SOLICIT NOMI-
 NATIONS FOR APPOINTMENTS FROM SUCH ORGANIZATIONS HAVING  A  PRESENCE  IN
 THE STATE;
   (II) DIRECTORS OF LOCAL VETERANS' SERVICE AGENCIES OR THEIR DESIGNEES;
   (III) FAMILY MEMBERS OF VETERANS OR SERVICE MEMBERS; AND
   (IV)  INDIVIDUALS HAVING SUBSTANTIAL TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
 OR KNOWLEDGE IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS;
   (B) HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE;
   (C) EDUCATION, INCLUDING HIGHER EDUCATION,  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION,  OR
 ADULT EDUCATION;
   (D) CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES OR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT;
   (E) HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND HOMELESSNESS; AND/OR
   (F) LEGAL ISSUES UNIQUE TO VETERANS INCLUDING UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
 OF  VETERANS  AFFAIRS  BENEFIT CLAIMS AND APPEALS AND VETERANS TREATMENT
 COURTS.
   3. Ex officio members. (a) The adjutant general of the  state  of  New
 York, THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, THE COMMISSIONER OF MENTAL HEALTH, THE
 COMMISSIONER  OF HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOR,
 AND THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION shall  be  [an]  ex  officio  [member]
 MEMBERS of the commission.
   (b)  In  addition,  the state commissioner may appoint the head of any
 other state agency or their designee as a non-voting, ex officio  member
 of  the  commission. Such appointments shall expire annually on December
 thirty-first unless such appointments are renewed by the  state  commis-
 sioner.
   4. One of the members of the commission, which shall include the adju-
 tant  general,  shall be designated as chairperson by the governor.  The
 designation shall be in writing and shall be filed with the commission.
   5. THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY OR MORE FREQUENTLY  AT
 THE  CALL  OF  THE  CHAIRPERSON. A MAJORITY OF THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE
 COMMISSION SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM.
   6. The commission, IN ADDITION TO OTHER POWERS AND DUTIES THAT MAY  BE
 ASSIGNED TO IT BY LAW, shall have power, and it shall be its duty, to:
   (A)  assist  the  state  commissioner  in  the formulation of policies
 affecting veterans and in the coordination of all  operations  of  state
 agencies relating to veterans' services;
   (B)  STUDY  ISSUES  OF  CONCERN TO VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR
 FAMILIES;
   (C) RECEIVE REPORTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT WITH RESPECT  TO  THE  GENERAL
 ACTIVITIES  OF THE DEPARTMENT AND FROM OTHER STATE AGENCIES WITH RESPECT
 TO ACTIVITIES SPECIFIC TO VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES; AND
   (D) SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT OF ITS ACTIVITIES AND POLICY  OR  LEGISLA-
 TIVE  RECOMMENDATIONS  TO  THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE ON OR BEFORE
 DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST OF EACH YEAR.
   7. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAINTAIN AND REGULARLY UPDATE A  PAGE  ON  ITS
 WEBSITE  REGARDING THE COMMISSION THAT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
 TO:
   (A) A LIST OF ALL COMMISSION MEMBERS INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT  EACH
 MEMBER'S  TERM, THE OFFICIAL WHO APPOINTED OR RECOMMENDED THE MEMBER AND
 THE MEMBER'S CONTACT INFORMATION;
   (B) THE MINUTES AND AGENDA OF EACH MEETING OF THE COMMISSION; AND
   (C) ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEEMED RELEVANT BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  OR
 COMMISSION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.