Requires the department of veterans' services to establish and maintain, in consultation and collaboration with other state agencies, a searchable database on the department's website providing resources available in the state for veterans, members of the uniformed services, and their families.
This bill amends the New York veterans' services law to require the Department of Veterans' Services to create and maintain a searchable online database of resources available to veterans, members of the uniformed services, and their families. The database must be developed in consultation with other state agencies, including the Office of Mental Health, Department of Health, Office of General Services, Department of Labor, Department of State, and Department of Financial Services.
The database must include contact and general information for a broad range of services and programs, such as veterans' benefits, healthcare, housing, employment, veteran-owned businesses, survivor benefits, substance use disorder treatment, disability services, education and tuition assistance, health and mental health referrals, property tax exemptions, suicide prevention, and peer support. It must also link to existing department portals, including the mobile app, small business portal, veterans' employment portal, mental health and substance abuse portals, physical disabilities portal, and military sexual trauma portal. The database must be posted on the department's website and updated at least annually.
The bill would add a new duty to the Department of Veterans' Services under section 4 of the veterans' services law, expanding the department's responsibilities from program administration and outreach to centralized digital resource coordination. It does not create new benefits or change eligibility rules, but it would require the department to compile, maintain, and publicly present information already available across state, federal, local, and nonprofit sources, with ongoing coordination across multiple agencies.
The bill appears to be broadly supportive and administrative in nature, with no recorded votes or committee transcript indicating opposition. Its focus on improving access to information for veterans and service members suggests a generally favorable policy goal centered on outreach, convenience, and service navigation. The absence of recorded controversy or debate indicates the measure is likely viewed as a practical enhancement to existing veterans' services.
No specific points of contention are reflected in the available record. Potential issues, if raised, could involve the administrative burden of maintaining an up-to-date database, interagency coordination, and ensuring the information remains accurate and comprehensive. However, no member or stakeholder objections are documented in the provided materials.