BILL NUMBER: AB 1725 CHAPTERED 10/03/05 CHAPTER 460 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 3, 2005 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 3, 2005 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 29, 2005 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 22, 2005 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 22, 2005 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 19, 2005 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member La Malfa FEBRUARY 22, 2005 An act to amend Section 15819.60 of the Government Code, and to amend Section 1104.2 of the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1725, La Malfa Veterans' homes. Existing law authorizes the Department of General Services, on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to acquire, design, equip, construct, and establish additional veterans' homes to be located in Lancaster, Saticoy, West Los Angeles, Fresno County, and Shasta County. Existing law permits the Department of General Services, when authorized by the Legislature to use the design-build procurement process for a specific project, to contract and procure state office facilities, other buildings, structures, and related facilities. This bill would, with respect to Fresno and Shasta Counties, allow the use of the design-build construction procurement process, as specified. This bill would require the construction of the veterans' homes in Redding and Fresno to be treated as separate public works projects that are subject to separate bids. Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to make a report to the Legislature and the Governor semiannually on the progress of the acquisition, design, equipping, construction, establishment, and expansion of specified veterans' homes. This bill would require the report to include a synopsis on the efficacy of the design-build procurement process. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 15819.60 of the Government Code is amended to read: 15819.60. (a) The Department of General Services, on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs, may acquire, design, equip, construct, and establish additional veterans' homes to be located in Lancaster, Saticoy, West Los Angeles, Fresno County, and Shasta County. (b) The Department of General Services, on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs, may design, equip, construct, and renovate the veterans' homes at Yountville, Barstow, and Chula Vista, as needed and justified. (c) The Department of General Services, on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs, may design, equip, construct, and expand the homes proposed to be built at Lancaster, Saticoy, and West Los Angeles, as needed and justified. (d) The construction of veterans' homes in Fresno County and Shasta County may not commence until the veterans' homes in Lancaster, Saticoy, and West Los Angeles have been fully funded. (e) The veterans' homes to be constructed in Fresno County and Shasta County may be built concurrently. However, the construction of the veterans' homes in Redding and Fresno shall be treated as separate public works projects that are subject to separate bids. (f) The Department of General Services, on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs, may acquire, design, equip, construct, and establish the veterans' homes to be constructed in Fresno and Shasta Counties using the design-build construction procurement process in accordance with Section 14661. SEC. 2. Section 1104.2 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read: 1104.2. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, an amount, not to exceed the sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), is hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, from the Veterans' Home Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, for the state's matching share for the design, construction, equipping, and renovation of the Veterans' Home of California, Yountville, as described in Section 1011. (b) Excluding any funds required to pay for costs associated with issuing and administering general obligation bonds, any remaining general obligation bond funds available in the Veterans' Home Fund created under Section 1103 after funding the design, construction, equipping, expansion, or renovation of the Lancaster, Saticoy, West Los Angeles, or Yountville veterans homes, as specified in Section 1104.1 and subdivision (a), and projects funded through any Budget Act, are, notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, hereby continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal years to the Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, to fund the state's matching share for renovations, design, construction, and equipping at Yountville consistent with the purposes established in subdivision (a) of Section 1104. (c) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, in addition to the funds appropriated pursuant to this section, the federal matching funds available pursuant to the State Veterans' Home Assistance Improvement Act of 1977 (38 U.S.C. Sec. 8131 et seq.), are hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, to the Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, for the purpose of design, construction, equipping, renovation of, or expansion or repayment of any loan related to, the projects specified in this section. (d) Subject to approval of the Department of Finance, the Department of Veterans Affairs may expend state funds pursuant to this section for the design of projects specified in this section in anticipation of the receipt of federal matching funds. (e) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall prepare and submit a report to the Legislature and Governor semiannually, beginning on March 1, 2005, on the progress of the acquisition, design, equipping, construction, establishment, and expansion of the veterans' homes specified in Section 15819.60 of the Government Code, including updated cost estimates and a synopsis on the efficacy of the design-build procurement process.