NY State Senate Bill 2021-S4995

Senate Bill S4995

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to use of personal information received from veterans or family members of veterans receiving services from the state

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
Feb 22, 2021	referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs

co-Sponsors

2021-S4995 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7314
Current Committee:: Senate Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §354-f, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S8075
2011-2012: S3968
2013-2014: S2826, S6277
2015-2016: S2793
2017-2018: S3599, S6610
2019-2020: S4614

2021-S4995 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to use of personal confidential information received from veterans or family members of veterans receiving services from the state and political subdivisions thereof.

2021-S4995 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S4995

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
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 enti-
tled 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 Coun-
cil on Returning Veterans and their Families" a report was issued with
its results and recommendations. Among the recommendations to the Gover-
nor was agencies at all levels of state and local government must better
identify and track veterans within their programs and ensure that appro-
priate services are being offered. Uniform methods of identifying veter-
ans 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:

2019-20: S.4614 - Referred to Veterans' Affairs
2017-18: S.3599 - referred to veterans' affairs
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.

2021-S4995 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4995
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 22, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  PARKER, ADDABBO, BAILEY -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Veter-
   ans, 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 ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  354-f
 to read as follows:
   §  354-F. 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  THERE-
 OF,  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  REFER-
 RING  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.

                                                            LBD09258-01-1

 S. 4995                             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. 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 on or before
 such date.

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Senate Bill S4995

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Sponsored By

Kevin S. Parker