BILL NUMBER: S2070
SPONSOR: SCARCELLA-SPANTON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to directing the
department of veterans' services to establish and maintain, in consulta-
tion and collaboration with other state agencies, a searchable database
of resources available in the state for veterans, members of the
uniformed services, and their families
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To assist New York State veterans and their families to attain important
access to state funded programs and policies in one uniformed statewide
database.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amend section 4 of the veterans' service law by adding a new
Subdivision 39. To establish and maintain, in consultation and collab-
oration with other state agencies including, but not limited to, the
office of mental health, the department of health, the office of general
services, the department of labor, the department of state, and the
department of financial services, establish and maintain a searchable
database of resources available in the state for veterans, members of
the uniformed services, and their families.
Such database shall include but not be limited: general information
about and contact information for resources available through federal,
state, and local government agencies and other organizations including,
but not limited to, those relating to veterans' benefits, healthcare,
housing, employment, veteran-owned businesses, survivor benefits,
substance abuse disorder treatment, physical disabilities, educational
and job benefits, real property tax exemptions, suicide prevention and
peer outreach and support.
Information about the department's mobile application, established under
subdivision twenty-one of this section. Links to the departments small
business portal, established under subdivision twelve of this section,
the department's veterans' employment portal, established under subdivi-
sion thirteen of this section, the department's mental health, substance
abuse, and physical disabilities portals, establish under subdivision
twenty-seven of this section, and the department's military sexual trau-
ma portal, established under subdivision thirty-two of this section.
The database created shall be made available on the department's website
and shall be reviewed and updated annually.
Section 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it
shall become law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Back in December of 2022 there was a legislative hearing on the Division
of Veterans' Affairs becoming a department. One of the problems
addressed by actual statewide veterans was that they were having diffi-
culty obtaining important t information that affects their and their
family's lives. Several veterans that testified experienced homeless-
ness, suffered from mental health issues, and improvements on how the
state needs to improve transposition services, transitional housing, and
support for gambling Addiction and LGBTQ community members who served in
the military.
There is a need for one uniform and collaborative database that shall be
implemented and maintained by the department of veterans' affairs. This
should be implemented with the restructuring and streamlining of the new
department. This will also assist in accurate information for programs
such as the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer-to -Peer Veterans' Support Program as
well as other essential programs that assist local agencies to implement
and share with veterans.
New York I home to at least 800,000 veterans, but only an estimated 17%;
access benefits are eligible for throughout the state. This legis-
lation's intent is to improve this percentage by making state agency
information easily accessible to veterans, their families, and veteran
advocates.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023: A.7701 referred to Veterans' Affairs Committee
2024: Passed Senate and Assembly; Vetoed Message .37
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Yet to be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall 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 an effective date.