BILL NUMBER: S5733
SPONSOR: SCARCELLA-SPANTON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to the cost of
maintenance and operation of local veterans' service agencies
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation increases the amount of state reimbursement provided to
local veterans' service agencies.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends subdivision one of section 359 of the executive law to
replace the existing funding formula on total expenditures for mainte-
nance and operation that can be reimbursed by the State. It changes the
formula for funding provided to veteran service agencies by eliminating
the references to the general population and replaces it with one half.
Of one percent of the previous year's geographic distribution of the
Veterans' Administration expenditures for each county for maintenance
and operations approved by the state director.
Section 2 provides an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation seeks to provide additional financial resources to
local veterans' service agencies. Under State Law every county is
mandated to have a veterans' service agency; however, the amount of
funding provided to each agency is minimal and does not accurately
reflect caseload level. The current formula ignores the workload of each
agency and apportions funding based solely upon the general population
of the county or city where the agency is located regardless of the
actual number of veterans utilizing the services of the local veterans'
service agency.
Although budget funds are allocated annually to these local agencies
there is a dire need for additional and accurate funding streams. This
legislation recalibrates the funding formula to account for the workload
of each local veterans' service agency. This change in formula will
create a funding stream that more accurately provides for the needs of
each agency. Moreover, each local veterans' service agency will be
incentivized to take on new claims, and thus, continually serve as many
military personnel and veterans as practical.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024; Held in Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs Senate
Committee.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Exact impact to be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.