Legislative Update Report - May 6, 2007

[boardman]

Legislative Update Report - California Veterans Affairs - May 6, 2007

A major activity around the State Capitol at this time appears to be speculation concerning the Governor’s "May Revise" for the State Budget. The report, due May 15, will provide an important update concerning the fiscal condition of the State Government and will advise the Legislature whether major adjustments have to be made in the expenditure plans before the end of the Fiscal Year. Equally important, the report can be expected to provide adjustments to the Governor’s proposed budget for next year and to tell the lawmakers whether there may be any resources to cover proposed new programs.

Any of the bills which have been passed by the policy committees in the Assembly and the Senate, and which can be expected to require any level of funding from the State’s General Fund, have been placed on the "suspense file" by the Appropriations Committees. Most of the speculation is that the fiscal prognosis for the State is very poor, and the committees have been told by the leadership of the Legislature that no new programs can be approved.

Two proposals, by the VFW for $1 million, and by the County Veteran Service Officers for $2.4 million, to increase services to veterans for filing federal benefit claims, are just part of the budget proposals that have been put on hold for the time being. The Budget Committees, which are reviewing these proposals, have not said "no way" but only that they will see what, if anything, can be done.

A few bills, which are not significantly affected by the fiscal concerns, have been moving through the Legislature:

AB 223 Absentee voting: military service. (Sharon Runner, Lancaster)
Provides special procedures for persons who are called to active military service, are who are deployed, to obtain ballots for an election and to return the ballots to the County Clerk.
Based on an analysis that only a very few persons would actually be affected by the revised procedures, and that the costs would be minimal, the bill was passed by the Assembly.

AB 111 National Guard Assumption Program of Loans for Education. (Sam Blakeslee, San Luis Obispo.)
This bill proposes to continue a program which was first authorized three years ago, to provide for the state to assume the education loans of members of the National Guard who are taking college level courses. This is a very modest benefit and would be available only to persons who have established financial need. However, it is the only college level education assistance program currently available to members of the National Guard, although additional proposals are pending in the Legislature as new programs.
Although this is not a new program, it has never been funded before. Funds have been included in the FY 2007-2008 Budget by the Governor. With that assurance of available funding, the bill was passed by the Assembly and sent on to the Senate. It is an urgency bill, to take effect immediately when it is passed and signed, since the program is due to expire July 1, 2007.

AB 950 Public postsecondary education: resident classification: student residency requirements: active duty military. (Mary Salas, Chula Vista)
Active duty military personnel who are stationed in the State, are normally permitted to pay tuition and fees at the State Universities and Colleges at the same level as state residents. However, students in graduate degree programs currently receive this benefit for only one year. This bill would increase that limit to three years.
This change has long been proposed by veteran advocates but was always included in bills that also provided other extensive veteran education benefits. This bill is extremely limited and is, in fact, sponsored and supported by the California State University system.
The cost of this proposal is considered to be extremely minor, and would be absorbed by the school systems without reimbursement from State funds. With that condition, the bill has been passed by the Assembly.

Complete information on all state legislation involving veterans issues is available at the website: http://www.califveterans.com

Bill Manes, Legislative Officer
California State Commanders Veterans Council