N.Y. SOS Law § 174-B

§ 174-b. Authorization of veteran assistance in towns. 1. The town\nboard of a town responsible for the expense of providing safety net\nassistance to persons residing or found therein, upon the presentation\nof a petition to it by one or more posts, camps or garrisons of one or\nmore veteran organizations in the town, requesting that veteran\nassistance be authorized by the local social services officer, may, by\nresolution adopted by majority vote, authorize and direct the local\nsocial services officer to authorize and furnish veteran assistance to\npersons residing or found therein. Thereafter, the local social\nservices officer shall have, exercise and perform the same powers and\nduties with relation to veteran assistance as he has, exercises and\nperforms with relation to safety net assistance.\n 2. When the town board of a town has authorized and directed the local\nsocial services officer to authorize and furnish veteran assistance, if\nneither the local social services officer, or the supervisor of the town\nauthorized to act as such official, nor the assistant local social\nservices officer, if there be one, is a veteran, as herein defined, the\ntown board may appoint, or authorize the local social services officer\nto appoint, a veteran, as herein defined, as a deputy or assistant local\nsocial service officer.\n