Legislation

§ 15. Powers and duties of local veterans' service agencies. * 1. A
local veterans' service agency shall have power under the direction 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 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, including the employment of
veterans with disabilities program under section fifty-five-c of the
civil service law, (5) the process of submitting an application for a
discharge upgrade to the discharge upgrade advisory board, and (6) 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.

* NB Effective until March 19, 2026

* 1. A local veterans' service agency shall have power under the
direction 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 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,
including the employment of veterans with disabilities program under
section fifty-five-c of the civil service law, (5) the process of
submitting an application for a discharge upgrade to the discharge
upgrade advisory board, (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.

* NB Effective March 19, 2026

2. A local veterans' service agency shall utilize, so far as possible,
the services and facilities of existing officers, offices, departments,
commissions, boards, bureaus, institutions and other agencies of the
state and of the political subdivisions thereof and all such officers
and agencies shall cooperate with and extend such services and
facilities to the local veterans' service agency as it may require.