NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2435
SPONSOR: Cruz TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to the Alex R.
Jimenez New York state military immigrant family legacy program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This is a chapter amendment that makes changes to provisions of Chapter
625 of the Laws of 2024, which established the Alex R. Jimenez New York
Military Immigrant Family Program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: This bill would:
* clarify the definition of "intended recipients" of the Alex R. Jime-
nez New York Military Immigrant Family Program to specifically include
spouses, parents, and children of a uniformed service member, veteran,
or reserve component member as well as the next-of-kin of such service
members and veterans requesting a grant of posthumous U.S. citizenship
on their behalf;
* modify the responsibilities of the Office for New Americans (ONA) with
respect to implementing the Program;
* require the Department of Veterans' Services, the Division of Military
and Naval Affairs, and ONA not to retain, disclose, disseminate, or
otherwise publish or make available personally identifying information
provided by the intended recipients; and,
* modify the reporting obligations of Program liaisons to include an
annual report of the number of intended recipients to ONA through the
Program.
JUSTIFICATION:
Army Staff Sergeant Alex R. Jimenez was killed while serving during
Operation Iraqi Freedom. Chapter 625 of the Laws of 2024 created the
Alex R. Jimenez New York State Military Immigrant Family Legacy Program.
This chapter amendment, which is a negotiated revision to Chapter 623 of
the Laws of 2024, contains proposed changes that were requested by the
Executive to help ensure easier Program implementation.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a
chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the veterans' services law, the
military law, and the executive law relating to establishing the Alex R.
Jimenez New York state military immigrant family legacy program, as
proposed in legislative bills numbers S.8119-C and
