BILL NUMBER: SB 1858	CHAPTERED  09/27/02

	CHAPTER  977
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 27, 2002
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 26, 2002
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 31, 2002
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 30, 2002
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 26, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 18, 2002

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Knight

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2002

   An act to amend Section 66.5 of, and to add Sections 73.8 and 78.5
to, the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans, and
declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1858, Knight.  Veterans affairs:  administration.
   Under existing law, the California Veterans Board consists of 7
members, all of whom are veterans.  The Inspector General for
Veterans Affairs provides ongoing and independent advice to the
board.  The Chief Administrative Officer of the Department of
Veterans Affairs is the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
   This bill would require one member of the board to have an
accounting or auditing background, as specified.  The bill would also
allow the inspector general and the board access to the documents
and employees of the department.  The bill would require the
secretary to conduct audits, as specified by statute, on internal
controls, and to provide those audits to the inspector general.
  This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an
urgency statute.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 66.5 of the Military and Veterans Code is
amended to read:
   66.5.  (a) One member of the board shall have substantial training
or professional expertise in mortgage lending and real estate
finance.
   (b) One other member of the board shall have substantial training
or professional expertise in geriatrics, gerontology, or long-term
care.
   (c) One member of the board shall have an accounting or auditing
background, and preferably shall be a certified public accountant.
   (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any
member of the board from serving the remainder of his or her term.
   (e) The first vacancy in the membership of the board, that occurs
after the enactment of the act adding this subdivision and does not
require the training or expertise required by subdivision (a) or (b),
shall be filled by the appointment of a member who meets the
criteria required by subdivision (c).
  SEC. 2.  Section 73.8 is added to the Military and Veterans Code,
to read:
   73.8.  The board and the inspector general shall have access to
all documents and employees of the department.
  SEC. 3.  Section 78.5 is added to the Military and Veterans Code,
to read:
   78.5.  The secretary shall conduct audits as required by Section
13402 of the Government Code, on internal controls of the department,
that shall be provided to the inspector general.
  SEC. 4.  This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the
meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate
effect.  The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order to ensure that a member of the California Veterans Board
have an accounting or auditing background and that the Inspector
General for Veterans Affairs have access to all documents, including
any audits, and employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs as
soon as possible, it is necessary that this act take effect
immediately.