Establishes a giving internships for disabled veterans not fully employed program (G.I.V.E. Back NY)

BILL NUMBER:S2182

Title of bill

An act to amend the legislative law, in relation to establishing a giving internships for disabled veterans not fully employed program (G.I.V.E. Back NY)

Purpose

To set aside a percentage of the current Assembly Intern and Youth Participation Program and Senate Student Program positions for service-disabled veterans.

Summary of provisions

This measure will add a new Article (Article VIII) to the Legislative Law and establish opportunities for service-disabled veteran to participate in existing internship programs based on the following guidelines:

Eligible candidates will be Honorably discharged veterans with service-connected disabilities as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Defense who are unemployed or underemployed and have demonstrated an interest in future employment in public service, government or public policy.

Inclusion of (but not limited to) a 10 percent set-aside of in each of the current Assembly Youth Participation Program and Senate Student Program for these eligible veterans.

In the same manner students are recruited for internship programs, the Assembly Intern Office and the Senate Intern Office shall coordinate with each of the respective county veteran's service agencies to identify and recruit eligible candidates.

G.I.V.E. Back NY enrollees receive a stipend of $11,500 for a semester-long program or that amount equal to graduate students participating in the same internship program.

Justification

In the year 2014, there are 120 interns in the Assembly Internship program, which is down from 180 interns in 2013. Currently, the Assembly Internship program is open to students matriculated in a four-year college. Undergraduates receive a $4,500 annual stipend ($6,500 for CUNY students) and graduate students earn $11,500. It is budgeted at $929,149 this fiscal year. This program proposes that G.I.V.E. Back NY enrollees receive a stipend of $11,500 for the semester-long program. There will be no additional cost to taxpayers to implement G.I.V.E. Back NY.

As our country continues to rely on our service men and women to protect the ideals of our country, we cannot forget those veterans who have come home to find that integrating back into our workforce and communities poses many challenges.

As a Legislature we have always come together when it comes to those service men and women, whether their service was this year, ten years ago or sixty years ago. Who better than our wounded warriors to see the inner workings of our republic and representative democracy they put their lives on the line for to the extent that they now have to deal with a lifelong disability?

The discipline and work ethic instilled in these service men and women will prove to be a valuable asset to the New York State Legislature.

Legislative history

2014-S7626-Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs/A9774 Referred to Governmental Operations

Fiscal implications

None, Budget Neutral

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.