What's happening
This bill requires state and local agencies to ask clients about veteran or family military status and refer them to veterans' services for benefits assistance.
Why it matters
Connects veterans and their families to critical benefits. By requiring agencies to identify clients with military backgrounds, this law aims to ensure more veterans and their families are made aware of— and assisted in accessing—federal and state benefits they may otherwise miss.
Standardizes outreach across many public services. The bill covers a wide range of agencies (health, mental health, family services, criminal justice, employment), potentially increasing the number of veterans and family members identified and supported, regardless of which public service they interact with.
Limits use of sensitive information. The law specifies that any military service information collected can only be used to help make referrals for benefits, which may reassure clients concerned about privacy or misuse of their status.
Could improve outcomes for underserved groups. Many veterans and their families do not receive all the support they are eligible for; this proactive approach may help close gaps in service delivery, particularly for those struggling with health, housing, or employment issues.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Veterans' Personal Information
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to veterans' affairs
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1638
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3599
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 25, 2017
Introduced by Sens. PARKER, ADDABBO, AVELLA, BAILEY, LATIMER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to personal information obtained from veterans or family members of veterans receiving services from the state and political subdivisions thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 354-e to read as follows:
§ 354-e. Use of personal information obtained from veterans or family members of veterans receiving services from the state and political subdivisions thereof. 1. Departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and agencies of the state and political subdivisions thereof, which provide assistance, treatment, counseling, care, supervision or custody in service areas involving health, mental health, family services, criminal justice or employment shall be required to solicit information on whether their customer or client is a veteran as defined in section eighty-five of the civil service law or family member of a veteran. Any new forms created after the effective date of this section shall contain the following questions: "Have you served in the United States Armed Forces?" "Has someone in your family served in the United States military?"
2. Individuals identifying themselves as having served in the military or a family member shall be advised that the division of veterans' affairs and local veterans service agencies established pursuant to section three hundred fifty-seven of this article provide assistance to veterans regarding benefits under federal and state law. Information regarding veterans and military status provided by assisted persons solely to implement this section shall be used only to assist in referring the veteran or family member to the division of veterans' affairs
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00370-02-7
S. 3599 2
for information and assistance with regard to benefits and entitlements under federal and state law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date shall be promulgated on or before such date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to personal information obtained from veterans or family members of veterans receiving services from the state and political subdivisions thereof
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this legislation is to inform veterans and their families of the many services and opportunities provided by the Division of Veteran's Affairs.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one requires all subdivisions of the state to, when dealing with a client or customer, inquire as to whether or not he/she or a family member is a veteran.
This information will be private, and will be used only for the sake of informing the veteran or his/her family member that veterans are entitled to additional assistance and other benefits through the Division of Veteran's affairs.
Section two is the effective date.
Justification
Pursuant to Executive Order 412, "Establishing the New York State Council on Returning Veterans and their Families" a report was issued with its results and recommendations. Among the recommendations to the Governor was agencies at all levels of state and local government must better identify and track veterans within their programs and ensure that appropriate services are being offered. Uniform methods of identifying veterans and their families should be developed. This bill is one step in that direction.
Veterans and their families often deal with numerous subdivisions of the state, from the DMV to Social Services. Often, they are not aware that in addition to the services they receive from these agencies, they are entitled to assistance through the Division of Veterans Affairs.
This bill will make sure that veterans and their families are notified whenever dealing with state agencies that they also have a tremendous additional resource in the Division of Veterans Affairs.
Prior legislative history
2015-16: S.2793A - Amend and Recommit to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs 2009-10: S.8075/A.11154 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs 2011-12: S.3968/A.2920 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs 2013-14: S.6277/A.3348 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become law; provided that any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date shall be promulgated on or before such date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.