NY Exec L § 94-B (2021)
2021 New York Laws EXC - Executive Article 6 - Department of State 94-B - Office for New Americans.

§   94-b.  Office  for  new  Americans.  1.  Legislative  intent.  The legislature hereby finds  and  declares  that,  according  to  the  2010 census, approximately twenty-two percent of New Yorkers were not born in the  United  States,  nine percent above the national average. For years immigrants have come to the United States to  make  a  better  life  for themselves.  It  is  of  utmost  importance  to the state that these new Americans be given the tools to assist them in making a better life  for themselves, particularly through programs that help develop and leverage their skills and strengthen their connections with their communities and through   programs   to  reduce  exploitation  of  vulnerable  immigrant populations.   2. Definitions. For the purposes  of  this  section,  the  terms  "new American" and "immigrant" shall refer to non-citizen domicilaries of New York state whose country of origin is other than the United States.   3.  Office for new Americans; director. There is hereby created within the department of state the office  for  new  Americans.  The  secretary shall   appoint   a   director   of   the   office   to  accomplish  the responsibilities set forth in this section. Such director shall  receive an  annual  salary  within  amounts  appropriated and shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary.   4. Organization of the office for new Americans. The  secretary  shall have  the  power  to  establish, consolidate, reorganize, or abolish any organizational units within the office as he or  she  determines  to  be necessary  for  efficient  operation thereof. The secretary shall assign functions  to  any  such  unit  and  may  appoint  staff,  agents,   and consultants,  prescribe  their duties, and fix their compensation within amounts appropriated.   5. Powers and duties of the office for new Americans. The  office  for new Americans shall have the power and responsibility to:  (a) Create a network of neighborhood-based opportunity centers;  (b)  Increase access to English-for-speakers-of-other-languages (ESOL) training, including by engaging not-for-profit organizations  and  other qualified providers of ESOL training services;  (c)  Assist  immigrants  in  matters  relating  to immigration status, including but not limited to assisting with the  naturalization  process and applications for deferred action for childhood arrivals;  (d)  Connect  immigrants  to  business  resources  that  harness their skills, employment referral programs, and  other  workforce  development programs;  (e)  Develop  and  leverage  the skills of immigrants to benefit their communities and the state;  (f)  Strengthen  the  connections   between   immigrants   and   their communities through civic engagement;  (g) Reduce exploitation of immigrants;  (h)  Establish  a  toll-free  multi-lingual  hotline and a website for purposes including but not limited to dissemination of information about the programs and services offered  by  the  office  for  new  Americans, referral  for  services, and receipt of complaints relating to fraud and other related crimes against immigrants;  (i) Ensure that individuals referred by the  office  are  directed  to service  providers  who are in compliance with article twenty-eight-C of the general business  law  or  providers  certified  by  the  bureau  of immigration appeals;  (j)  Using  information  developed  by the office through the hotline, assist law enforcement in combatting crimes against immigrants;  (k) Advise the governor and  secretary  concerning  matters  affecting immigrants  in  the  state  in  order  to promote and encourage the full participation of immigrants in the state's civic and economic life;  (l) Coordinate with other state agencies  and  otherwise  marshal  the resources of the state to serve the needs of immigrants;  (m)  Encourage  and  assist  local  governments  in the development of activities to enhance civic engagement among immigrants and in immigrant communities; and  (n) Beginning in two thousand fifteen, by June fifteenth of each year, produce a report to the governor, the speaker of the assembly,  and  the temporary  president  of  the  senate  describing  the activities of the office, including but not limited to, summarizing calls received through the hotline and website, information on ESOL training services  provided by the office, the number of immigrants assisted through the opportunity centers,   or  an  estimation  thereof,  the  status  of  any  workforce development programs, and any other relevant information.