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S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7786
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
May 6, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
ty and Military Affairs
AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to availability
of information on home care services
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 37 of section 4 of the veterans' services law,
2 as amended by chapter 447 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 37. To develop collaborative relationships among state, federal, and
5 local agencies, veterans' liaisons pursuant to section [twenty nine-b]
6 TWENTY-NINE-B of this article, and private organizations, including but
7 not limited to the office of mental health, state office for the aging,
8 and office of addiction services and supports, to help facilitate access
9 to services by members of the uniformed services and veterans who are
10 residents of the state and their families. THE DEPARTMENT MAY ALSO
11 COLLABORATE WITH RELEVANT OFFICES OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO
12 DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ON THE AVAILABILITY OF AND ACCESSIBILITY
13 TO HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
14 SUCH RESOURCES MAY INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF DEDICATED WEBSITES, WEBLINKS
15 TO HOME CARE RESOURCES, AND/OR PRINTED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. TO EFFEC-
16 TUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE DEPARTMENT MAY ALSO
17 CONSULT WITH OR SEEK INPUT FROM VARIOUS HOME CARE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUD-
18 ING HOME CARE PROVIDERS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, PARTICULARLY
19 THOSE WITH EXPERTISE OR EXPERIENCE WITH SERVING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMI-
20 LIES.
21 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 15 of the veterans' services law, as
22 amended by chapter 445 of the laws of 2024, is amended to read as
23 follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11096-01-5
S. 7786 2
1 1. A local veterans' service agency shall have power under the direc-
2 tion of the state veterans' service agency, and it shall be its duty to
3 inform military and naval authorities of the United States and assist
4 members of the uniformed services and veterans, who are residents of
5 this state, and their families, in relation to (1) matters pertaining to
6 educational training and retraining services and facilities, (2) health,
7 medical and rehabilitation services and facilities, (3) provisions of
8 federal, state and local laws and regulations affording special rights
9 and privileges to members of the uniformed services and veterans and
10 their families, (4) employment and re-employment services, (5) the proc-
11 ess of submitting an application for a discharge upgrade to the
12 discharge upgrade advisory board, and (6) other matters of similar,
13 related or appropriate nature. The local veterans' service agency may
14 also assist families of members of the reserve components of the
15 uniformed services and the organized militia ordered into active duty to
16 ensure that they are made aware of and are receiving all appropriate
17 support available to them and are placed in contact with the agencies
18 responsible for such support, including, but not limited to, the divi-
19 sion of military and naval affairs and other state agencies responsible
20 for providing such support. THE LOCAL VETERANS' SERVICE AGENCY MAY ALSO
21 POST ON ITS WEBSITE AND/OR MAKE AVAILABLE AT ITS OFFICE LOCATION EDUCA-
22 TIONAL MATERIALS RELATING TO THE AVAILABILITY OF AND ACCESSIBILITY TO
23 HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE
24 DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THIRTY-SEVEN OF SECTION FOUR OF THIS
25 ARTICLE. The local veterans' service agency also shall perform such
26 other duties as may be assigned by the state commissioner.
27 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
28 have become a law.