Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official source posted by the New York State Senate, fetched 2026-08-11. Nothing is edited or removed. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official source appears here in brackets. The official bill page.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8785
I N S E N A T E
January 8, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the veterans' services law, in relation to volunteer
opportunities for veterans
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 30-a of section 4 of the veterans' services
law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the veterans'
services law relating to establishing voluntary opportunities for veter-
ans, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 274-B and A. 8485, is
amended to read as follows:
30-a. [(a)] To provide information on the department's website on
volunteer opportunities available to veterans as defined in section one
of this article, including but not limited to [working at the depart-
ment, or], (A) a volunteer fire department, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE
OFFICE OF FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL TO IDENTIFY THE MOST EFFECTIVE
WAYS TO PROVIDE USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE VOLUNTEER OPPORTU-
NITIES, or (B) AN emergency services provider, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO IDENTIFY THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO PROVIDE
USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.
[(b) The department shall post on their website under the employment
portal any relevant application forms that a qualified veteran can use
to apply for volunteer opportunities or to request additional informa-
tion.]
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 15 of the veterans' services law, as
amended by a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the veterans' services
law relating to establishing voluntary opportunities for veterans, as
proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 274-B and A. 8485, is amended
to read as follows:
1. A local veterans' service agency shall have power under the direc-
tion of the state veterans' service agency, and it shall be its duty to
inform military and naval authorities of the United States and assist
members of the uniformed services and veterans, who are residents of
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.
LBD13169-02-6
S. 8785 2
educational training and retraining services and facilities, (2) health,
medical and rehabilitation services and facilities, (3) provisions of
federal, state and local laws and regulations affording special rights
and privileges to members of the uniformed services and veterans and
their families, (4) employment and re-employment services, (5) the proc-
ess of submitting an application for a discharge upgrade to the
discharge upgrade advisory board, (6) volunteer opportunities at [the
department and] LOCAL volunteer fire departments or emergency services
providers TO THE EXTENT SUCH INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, and (7) other
matters of similar, related or appropriate nature. The local veterans'
service agency may also assist families of members of the reserve compo-
nents of the uniformed services and the organized militia ordered into
active duty to ensure that they are made aware of and are receiving all
appropriate support available to them and are placed in contact with the
agencies responsible for such support, including, but not limited to,
the division of military and naval affairs and other state agencies
responsible for providing such support. The local veterans' service
agency also shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the
state commissioner.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the veterans' services
law relating to establishing voluntary opportunities for veterans, as
proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 274-B and A. 8485, takes
effect.Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.