Legislative Update Report - CA Vet Affairs - August 26, 2007

[boardman]

Legislative Update Report - California Veterans Affairs - August 26, 2007

State Budget:
As reported by news media the past couple of days, the State Senate finally accepted the Budget as previously passed by the Assembly, with the promises of additional cuts by the Governor and other matters, and the Governor has now taken his action on the bill. The good news is, that with all the cuts he made in many state operations, no funds were cut from the Budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Governor did delete one provision. The Legislature placed a number of requirements in the Budget bill for reports to be submitted by various departments, including a very detailed report on the use of patient restraints in the State Veterans Homes. The Governor vetoed these provisions on the basis that there was no additional funding provided to develop such a report. He did say, however, that the administration would attempt to respond to the Legislature’s directives, based on whatever funding could be made available for this purpose.

There is one interesting provision in the Budget for Veterans Affairs. The Department is directed to use $50,000 of its administrative funds to provide federal benefits eligibility training and outreach materials to veteran service organizations.

The two Committees on Appropriations have recently moved a couple of bills:
Passed by the Assembly 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.

Passed by the Senate Committee on Appropriations:
AB 392 Military service: benefits. (Ted Lieu, El Segundo)
Would require a qualified employer to allow a qualified employee that is a spouse of a qualified member of the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserves to take up to 10 days of unpaid leave during a period that the qualified member will be on leave from deployment.
The bill has been made an emergency act so it will become effective as soon as it is passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.

A number of bills are still being held by the two committees. Friday, August 31, will be the final date to hold hearings and report these bills to the Floor, or they will have to wait until January 2008.

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