Bill Text: CA SB989 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 989 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Veteran services: state agencies and departments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-05-23 - Held in committee and under submission. [SB989 Detail]

Download: California-2013-SB989-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: SB 989	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 22, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Galgiani

                        FEBRUARY 12, 2014

   An act to add Section 722 to the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 989, as amended, Galgiani. Veteran services: state agencies and
departments.
   Under existing law, the Department of Veterans Affairs has
specified powers and duties relating to veterans.
   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the
Department of Veterans Affairs enter into memoranda of understanding
or interagency agreements with other state agencies and departments,
as specified, to ascertain the veteran status of all persons
receiving services, benefits, or assistance from those state agencies
and departments, as provided. This bill  would  authorize
 that  the Employment Development 
Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles to  
Department  , in consultation with the Department of Veterans
Affairs,  to  make available in  their 
 its  field offices brochures, forms, and posters in order
to inform veterans of benefits and services. This bill also would
require the Employment Development Department  and the
Department of Motor Vehicles  to collect and send any
voluntarily completed forms to the Department of Veterans Affairs on
at least a quarterly basis, and to add a link to  their
  its  Internet Web  sites  
site  that will direct parties to the Department of Veterans
Affairs Internet Web site.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 722 is added to the Military and Veterans Code,
to read:
   722.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

   (1) The United States Department of Veterans Affairs spent $7.1
billion in California in federal fiscal year 2008, $3.1 billion of
which was for compensation and pension payments to veterans. These
compensation and pension payments are directly paid to veterans and
generate a significant contribution to California's economy.
   (2) Unfortunately, only approximately 11 percent of veterans who
are eligible in California participate in these programs. California
ranks 38th nationally in terms of participation rates. On a per
capita basis, Texas and Florida collect 44 percent and 31 percent
more respectively in disability benefits than California. This
difference is primarily due to Texas and Florida having more veterans'
services representatives available to assist veterans in pursuing
benefit claims.
   (3) It is estimated that if California could increase the
participation rate to the national average of slightly over 12
percent, over $330 million more could be returned to the state and
local economy and paid to our resident veterans who need that money
to support themselves and their families.
   (4) County veteran service officers and veterans service
organizations have assumed the primary responsibility to assist
veterans in accessing these federal benefits, but the funding for
this valuable service is scarce. Consequently, the California
Department of Veterans Affairs and other state agencies and
departments, as well as local government agencies, that come into
regular contact with veterans and National Guard members returning
from deployment must do a better job informing resident veterans and
their dependents of their eligibility for these benefits so that
veterans and their dependents can enroll and begin the application
process sooner.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department enter
into memoranda of understanding or interagency agreements with other
state agencies or departments, as selected by the department, to
ascertain the veteran status of all persons receiving services,
benefits, or assistance from those state agencies and departments.
   (c) The Employment Development  Department and the
Department of Motor Vehicles   Department  , in
consultation with the department, may make available in 
their   its  field offices brochures, forms, and
posters in order to inform veterans of available benefits and
services. The Employment Development Department  and the
Department of Motor Vehicles shall collect and send
voluntarily completed forms to the department on at least a quarterly
basis and add a link to  their   its 
Internet Web  sites   site  that directs
parties to the department's Internet Web site.