NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4751A
SPONSOR: Rajkumar TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to the employ-
ment of veterans with disabilities
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to ensure that state and local veterans'
service agencies include disabled veterans in their employment assist-
ance obligations.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends subdivision 13 of section four of the Veterans'
Services Law by adding the New York state department of civil service to
the list of appropriate government programs for which the Department of
Veterans' Services must provide a virtual link on the employment portal
of its website.
Section two amends subdivision one of section 13 of the Veterans'
Service Law by including section 55-c of the Civil Service Law in what
the agency must inform military authorities, active military, veterans,
and their families of.
Section three amends subdivision one of section 15 of the veterans'
services law by including section 55-c of the Civil Service Law in what
a local veterans' service agency must inform military authorities,
active military, veterans, and their families of,
Section four is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Section 55-c of the Civil Service Law currently provides employment
opportunities for disabled veterans and was recently expanded to include
all veterans, not just those who served during a time of war. Current-
ly, the veterans' service law does not explicitly require that the
Department of Veterans Services or local veterans service agencies
inform them of this important program. Due to this expansion, it should
be corrected so that all veterans can have the knowledge to take advan-
tage of this important program. This legislation will clarify that state
and local veterans' service agencies must assist disabled veterans with
employment and re-employment services which include section 55-c of the
civil service law. Lastly, it also requires the Department of Veterans'
Services to provide a link to the Department of Civil Service's website
on its website.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE' HISTORY:
2023-24 A10247 referred to veterans' affairs.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4751--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. RAJKUMAR -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Veterans' Affairs -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to the employ-
ment of veterans with disabilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 13 of section 4 of the veterans' services law
2 is amended to read as follows:
3 13. To provide information regarding resources that are available to
4 assist veterans in obtaining employment by maintaining a veterans'
5 employment portal on the department's internet website. Such portal
6 shall provide virtual links to appropriate governmental programs on the
7 federal and state level, including, but not limited to the United States
8 department of labor [and], the New York state department of labor, and
9 the New York state department of civil service. The department may
10 consult with members of the community devoted to helping veterans obtain
11 employment. The department shall make reference to this information
12 pursuant to subdivisions five, six, and seven of this section and the
13 annual report to the governor and the legislature as provided in subdi-
14 vision seventeen of this section. Such information required under this
15 subdivision shall be maintained and updated annually. The information
16 may also be made available in printed form.
17 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 13 of the veterans' services law, as
18 amended by chapter 445 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
19 follows:
20 1. A state veterans' service agency established by the department
21 pursuant to this article shall have power and it shall be its duty to
22 inform military and naval authorities of the United States and assist
23 members of the uniformed services and veterans, who are residents of
24 this state, and their families, in relation to (1) matters pertaining to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06441-02-5
A. 4751--A 2
1 educational training and retraining services and facilities, (2) health,
2 medical and rehabilitation services and facilities, (3) provisions of
3 federal, state and local laws and regulations affording special rights
4 and privileges to members of the uniformed services and veterans and
5 their families, (4) employment and re-employment services, including the
6 employment of veterans with disabilities program under section fifty-
7 five-c of the civil service law, and (5) other matters of similar,
8 related or appropriate nature. The state veterans' service agency also
9 shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the state commis-
10 sioner.
11 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 15 of the veterans' services law, as
12 amended by chapter 445 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
13 follows:
14 1. A local veterans' service agency shall have power under the direc-
15 tion of the state veterans' service agency, and it shall be its duty to
16 inform military and naval authorities of the United States and assist
17 members of the uniformed services and veterans, who are residents of
18 this state, and their families, in relation to (1) matters pertaining to
19 educational training and retraining services and facilities, (2) health,
20 medical and rehabilitation services and facilities, (3) provisions of
21 federal, state and local laws and regulations affording special rights
22 and privileges to members of the uniformed services and veterans and
23 their families, (4) employment and re-employment services, including the
24 employment of veterans with disabilities program under section fifty-
25 five-c of the civil service law, (5) the process of submitting an appli-
26 cation for a discharge upgrade to the discharge upgrade advisory board,
27 and (6) other matters of similar, related or appropriate nature. The
28 local veterans' service agency may also assist families of members of
29 the reserve components of the uniformed services and the organized mili-
30 tia ordered into active duty to ensure that they are made aware of and
31 are receiving all appropriate support available to them and are placed
32 in contact with the agencies responsible for such support, including,
33 but not limited to, the division of military and naval affairs and other
34 state agencies responsible for providing such support. The local veter-
35 ans' service agency also shall perform such other duties as may be
36 assigned by the state commissioner.
37 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
