Requires all forms issued to the public by the state include an optional question regarding veteran status and whether the person completing the form would consent to the agency sharing their contact information with regards to resources available to veterans.
Impact
The introduction of this bill could substantially impact the way state agencies collect data related to veterans. By embedding a question about veteran status into public forms, it establishes a formal mechanism through which agencies can identify veteran individuals and families. Moreover, the bill promotes an option for individuals to consent to sharing their contact information for the purpose of receiving additional resources concerning veterans, potentially increasing outreach efforts.
Summary
Bill A10544 aims to amend the veterans' services law in New York by mandating that all forms issued to the public by state agencies include an optional question regarding the individual's veteran status. The intent of this legislation is to better identify veterans and those residing with veterans when they interact with state services. By doing so, the bill seeks to enhance the accessibility of resources specifically tailored for veterans, ensuring that they can be appropriately informed about various support options available to them.
Contention
There may be points of contention regarding privacy and the handling of personal information collected through these forms. Some stakeholders might raise concerns that asking for and potentially sharing contact information could lead to hesitance among individuals to disclose their veteran status or other personal details. Additionally, proponents of the bill could argue that the benefits of improved resource allocation for veterans outweigh these concerns, emphasizing the importance of ensuring veterans receive the support they need.
Requires all forms issued to the public by the state include an optional question regarding veteran status and whether the person completing the form would consent to the agency sharing their contact information with regards to resources available to veterans.
Directs the department of veterans' services to conduct pre-release briefings for incarcerated veterans regarding available federal and state benefits available to veterans and their families and how to apply for such benefits.
Directs the department of veterans' services to conduct pre-release briefings for incarcerated veterans regarding available federal and state benefits available to veterans and their families and how to apply for such benefits.
Establishes a voluntary veterans' registry for the purpose of providing information on federal, state, and local governmental benefits, programs, and services available to veterans, and to link veterans with resources that can provide assistance.
Directs the department of veterans' services and the department of economic development to make available on their website information about federal and state programs available to businesses that employ veterans.
Includes whether an individual was in custody on the death certificate for such individual; requires such information to be included in the publicly available statistics published on the website of the department of health.
Requires the department of veterans' services to provide information on the department's website on volunteer opportunities available to veterans and to post relevant application forms that a qualified veteran can use to apply for volunteer opportunities.
Directs the veterans service commission to submit a report regarding coordinated services for veterans with service-connected disabilities to the commissioner of veterans' services by April 1, 2029.
Directs the veterans service commission to submit a report regarding coordinated services for veterans with service-connected disabilities to the commissioner of veterans' services by April 1, 2029.
Requires the department of veterans' services to obtain information from the United States department of veterans affairs related to the county of residence of New York state veterans discharged from active service, in which county such veterans reside, and transfer such information to the appropriate county veteran service agency.