(a) Any city or town, either separately or with one or more other cities and towns, may, by ordinance, establish a local veterans’ advisory committee which shall have the responsibility of carrying out locally the duties and purposes of this section and, within their charter powers and as otherwise provided by law, may make available to such local committees the necessary funds to carry out their duties and responsibilities. The committee may (1) act as the coordinating agency in all matters concerning veterans and their dependents, coordinating the activities of public and private facilities concerned with veterans’ reemployment, education, rehabilitation and adjustment to peacetime living; (2) cooperate with all national, state and local governmental and private agencies in securing services and benefits to which a veteran or his dependents may be entitled; (3) use the services and facilities of the veterans organizations so far as possible to carry out the purposes of this section; and (4) encourage and coordinate vocational training services for veterans.

(b) (1) Any city or town that has not established its own local veterans’ advisory committee separate from one or more other cities or towns pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and does not otherwise provide funding for a veterans’ service officer shall designate (A) a city or town employee, or (B) a volunteer who is a resident of such city or town, and (i) is a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of § 27-103, or (ii) has practical experience handling veterans’ issues, to serve as a municipal veterans’ representative in such city or town. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs shall annually send to the chief executive officer of any such city or town an electronic notification of such chief executive officer’s duty to so designate a city or town employee or volunteer in accordance with this subsection. Such chief executive officer shall, not later than thirty days after receipt of such notification, submit to the Office of Advocacy and Assistance, as described in subsection (b) of § 27-102l, the name and electronic mail address of the city or town employee or volunteer so designated. As used in this subdivision, “chief executive officer” means the officer described in § 7-193.

(2) Each municipal veterans’ representative shall carry out the duties described in subsection (a) of this section and shall complete a training course conducted by the Office of Advocacy and Assistance, as described in subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of § 27-102l, or attend a training session conducted by the manager of said office, as described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of said section. Each municipal veterans’ representative designated on or after October 1, 2019, shall complete such training course not later than one year after the date of such designation. Upon completion of such training course, a municipal veterans’ representative may thereafter receive electronically any new or updated training information from the Office of Advocacy and Assistance and shall not be required to complete any other such training course.

(3) Any volunteer designated as a municipal veterans’ representative by a city or town pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection shall (A) be available to veterans in person, by telephone or by electronic mail for any minimum number of hours per week that the city or town designating the volunteer may establish, and (B) file a performance report each month with the city or town designating the volunteer that includes, but is not limited to, the names of veterans assisted, services or referrals provided and any other information as determined by the city or town.