2023 New York Laws › VET - Veterans' Services Law › Article 1 - Department of Veterans' Services › 20 - Women Veterans Advisory Committee.

§  20.  Women  veterans  advisory  committee.  1.  The  women veterans
advisory committee is hereby created consisting of twelve members,  with
members  appointed  as follows: (a) six members by the governor; (b) two
members by the temporary president of the senate; (c) two members by the
speaker of the assembly; and (d) one member each by the minority  leader
of  the  senate  and  the minority leader of the assembly. All appointed
members must be women, and veterans who  served  in  the  United  States
uniformed  services  including  members  of  the reserve component. Each
veteran shall have received an honorable discharge or have a  qualifying
condition as defined in section one of this article.
2. In making appointments pursuant to subdivision one of this section,
the following shall be considered:
(a)  whether  the  appointments provide a geographical balance between
the urban and rural areas of  this  state  and  represent  the  cultural
diversity of this state; and
(b) the level of activity of the woman in the veteran community.
3. The committee shall elect a chair from among its members.
4. Each member of the committee shall serve a term of four years.
5. A vacancy on the committee shall be filled for the remainder of the
unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.
6.  The  committee shall meet at least four times per year at the call
of the chair.
7. A majority of the members of the committee appointed constitutes  a
quorum.
8. Each member of the committee:
(a) serves without compensation, except that a member of the committee
who  is a state officer or employee may receive her regular compensation
while engaging in the business of the committee; and
(b) shall  be  entitled  to  receive  reimbursement  for  any  actual,
necessary expenses incurred in the course of performing business for the
committee.
9. The committee shall:
(a)  support  and  assist the department of veterans' services and the
women veterans coordinator pursuant to section nineteen of this  article
in:
(i)  locating, educating and advocating for all women veterans in this
state;
(ii) identifying the unique needs of women veterans;
(iii)  conducting  outreach  and  education  through  various   means,
including,  without  limitation,  the  organization  of  statewide women
veterans events, the promotion of benefits and  health  care  for  women
veterans  and the development of programs that inform students, business
leaders and educators  about  the  important  role  women  play  in  the
uniformed services of the United States;
(iv)  educating  women  veterans  as to benefits and programs that are
available to them;
(v) at least annually, making such recommendations as  may  be  deemed
necessary  or  advisable  to  the  governor,  the state legislature, the
commissioner of the department of  veterans'  services  and  such  other
offices of this state as may be appropriate;
(vi)   making   information   available   regarding   job  and  career
opportunities;
(vii) providing outreach regarding available  resources  for  veterans
with  a  qualifying condition as defined in section one of this article;
and
(viii) advocating on behalf of  women  veterans  to  ensure  that  the
programs  and policies of this state and of the United States department

of veterans' affairs remain open to women and mindful of the elements of
the experience of a veteran that are unique to women.
(b)  submit  a  report  on  or before February fifteenth of each year,
outlining the activities of the committee during the preceding  calendar
year  and  any  recommendations  of  the  committee  to the governor and
legislature. The report must include,  without  limitation,  information
pertaining to:
(i) the demographics of women veterans;
(ii) the current contributions that women veterans have made on behalf
of the United States and this state;
(iii) the unique needs of the population of women veterans;
(iv)  recommendations  regarding  what steps should be taken to reduce
misinformation and improve support for programs for women veterans; and
(v) outreach activities undertaken by the committee.
10. The department  of  veterans'  services  shall  help  support  the
committee's activities.