Legislative Update Report - CA Vet Affairs - July 8, 2007

[boardman]

Legislative Update Report - California Veterans Affairs - July 8, 2007

The following are some of the significant bills on veterans issues that are still working their way through the legislative committee hearings.

AB 111 National Guard Assumption Program of Loans for Education. (Sam Blakeslee, San Luis Obispo.)
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.
The bill has now been held on the suspense file by the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
It should also be noted that the Governor’s Budget included $1.7 million to fund this program but it is reported that the Legislature’s Conference Committee on the Budget has removed these funds. If this is correct, then the passage of this bill would have no effect because there would be no money to pay for the loan assumptions.

AB 282 Crimes: military decorations. (Paul Cook, Yucaipa)
The bill has been amended so that it now provides that it is an infraction, rather than a misdemeanor, for a person to falsely represent himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal from the Armed Forces of the United States, the California National Guard, State Military Reserve, or Naval Militia, or any service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration, or medal, or any colorable imitation of such item, with the intent to defraud.
Previously passed by the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and has now been referred directly to the Committee on Appropriations.

SB 630 Veterans Homes. (Samuel Aanestad, Nevada City)
Appropriates additional state funds for construction of the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Home project and authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to borrow state funds pending receipt of the federal share of the construction costs. Also appropriates $30 million for construction of the veterans homes in Fresno and in Shasta County.
Previously passed by the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs and now has also been passed by the Committee on Business and Professions. One more hearing is required, by the Committee on Appropriations.

SB 904 Veterans: personal information Public records: military service. (Jim Battin, Palm Desert)
Would require the county recorder, when furnishing an informational certified copy of a military service record, to alter that record by obliterating the service member’s personal information. The purpose of the bill is to help prevent fraudulent use of the public documents on file with the offices of the County Clerks.
The bill was previously passed by the State Senate. In the Assembly, it has now been passed by the Committee on Judiciary and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs.

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