2019 New York Laws
EXC - Executive
Article 17 - Veterans' Services
357 - Local Veterans' Service Agencies.

§ 357. Local  veterans'  service agencies. 1. County veterans' service
agencies. There shall be established a county veterans'  service  agency
in  each  county not wholly included within a city, and there shall be a
county director of each county  veterans'  service  agency.  Any  county
director  hired  after  the  effective  date  of this statute shall be a
veteran as defined in New York state statute. The chairman of the  board
of  supervisors  of  a  county,  with  the  approval  of  the  board  of
supervisors, shall appoint and may at pleasure remove a county  director
of  the  county  veterans'  service  agency for such county. In a county
having a county president, a county executive or other  chief  executive
officer,  such  president  or executive officer shall appoint and may at
pleasure remove a county director. The county director may be paid  such
compensation  as  shall be fixed by the appointing officer and the board
of supervisors. The county director shall appoint  such  assistants  and
employees  as  he may deem necessary, other than those, if any, supplied
by the state; he may prescribe the duties of those appointed by him  and
fix  their  salaries  within  the appropriations made available for that
purpose by the county and may at pleasure remove any such assistants  or
employees.  The  county  director shall have jurisdiction throughout the
territorial limits of the county, including any city therein which  does
not  have  a  city  veterans'  service  agency,  provided that after the
establishment of a city veterans' service agency in any such  city,  the
county director shall not have jurisdiction within such city.
  2.  City  veterans'  service  agency.  There may be established a city
veterans' service agency in  each  city;  and  there  shall  be  a  city
director of each city veterans' service agency which is established. The
mayor  of  such  city,  or  the  city manager in a city of less than one
hundred forty thousand population having a city manager,  shall  appoint
and  may  at  pleasure  remove the city director. A city director may be
paid such compensation as shall be fixed by the mayor or  city  manager,
as  the  case  may  be,  empowered to appoint the city director, and the
governing body of the city. The city director may appoint such deputies,
assistants and employees as he may deem necessary other than  those,  if
any,  supplied  by  the  state;  he  may  prescribe  the duties of those
appointed by him and fix their salaries within the  appropriations  made
available  for  that  purpose by the city and may at pleasure remove any
such assistant or employee. A  city  director  shall  have  jurisdiction
throughout the territorial limits of the city.
  3.  Accreditation.  (a)  Current county or city directors within three
years from the effective date of this subdivision shall take  all  steps
necessary  to  be  accredited  as  a veterans service organization (VSO)
representative. Accreditation shall mean the authority  granted  by  the
United  States  Department  of  Veterans  Affairs to assist veterans and
their family members in the preparation, presentation,  and  prosecution
of  claims  for benefits pursuant to section 5902 of Title 38 U.S.C. and
section 14.628  of  Title  38  Code  of  Federal  Regulations.  Once  an
application  for accreditation is approved by the General Counsel of the
United States Department  of  Veterans  Affairs  and  the  applicant  is
notified  of  this  action,  the director of the county or city veterans
service agency shall file a copy of the accreditation  certificate  from
the  appropriate  veterans service organization with the director of the
division. Such accreditation shall be maintained during the duration  of
his  or her status as a director of such county or city veterans service
agency. The director of the division  may  determine  that  satisfactory
completion  of a course or instruction on veterans' benefits approved by
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and  conducted  by  the
division may fulfill the requirements of this subdivision.
  (b) Any county or city director hired after the effective date of this
statute  shall  take  all steps necessary to be accredited as a veterans
service organization (VSO) representative within eighteen months of such
appointment. Accreditation shall  mean  the  authority  granted  by  the
United  States  Department  of  Veterans  Affairs to assist veterans and
their family members in the preparation, presentation,  and  prosecution
of  claims  for benefits pursuant to section 5902 of Title 38 U.S.C. and
section 14.628  of  Title  38  Code  of  Federal  Regulations.  Once  an
application  for accreditation is approved by the General Counsel of the
United States Department  of  Veterans  Affairs  and  the  applicant  is
notified  of  this  action,  the director of the county or city veterans
service agency shall file a copy of the accreditation  certificate  from
the  appropriate  veterans service organization with the director of the
division. Such accreditation shall be maintained during the duration  of
his  or her status as a director of such county or city veterans service
agency. The director of the division may determine that  a  satisfactory
completion  of a course of instruction on veterans' benefits approved by
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and  conducted  by  the
division may fulfill the requirements of this subdivision.
  (c)  During  the  time  a  director  is  working  toward accreditation
pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, such  individual
may  provide services to veterans and their family members as defined in
section three  hundred  fifty-eight  of  this  article  other  than  the
preparation,  presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits under
federal statutes and regulations.