BILL NUMBER: AB 187 CHAPTERED 10/10/07 CHAPTER 380 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 10, 2007 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 10, 2007 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 17, 2007 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 1, 2007 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 25, 2007 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Nakanishi (Coauthors: Assembly Members DeVore, Jeffries, and Wolk) (Coauthors: Senators Harman and Wyland) JANUARY 25, 2007 An act to amend Sections 920, 929, 930, 944, and 945 of the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 187, Nakanishi. Veterans. Existing law authorizes counties to pay for any necessary expenses for the burial or cremation of any indigent veteran, not to exceed $75. Existing law further provides that the money necessary to provide this aid may be taken from the general fund of the county. For purposes of implementing these provisions, existing law defines a veteran as a person honorably discharged from any branch of the United States Army, Navy, or American Red Cross that has served in any war in which the United States has been engaged. This bill would instead define a veteran for the purposes of the laws that authorize the provision of local aid to indigent veterans, as any person who has both been honorably discharged from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, the Merchant Marine, or the American Red Cross, and who has served in any war. This bill would increase the amount that counties may pay for the burial or cremation of any indigent veteran to $350. This bill would repeal obsolete provisions pertaining to the source of funds for aid to indigent veterans. Existing law authorizes a soldier, sailor, or marine, as specified, designated by the board of supervisors of a county, to pay $250 toward the burial expenses of a veteran, or a widow of a veteran, as specified. Existing law provides that the expenses to the county of each burial or contribution shall not exceed $250. This bill would increase the amount that a soldier, sailor, or marine may contribute toward the burial expenses of a veteran, or a widow of a veteran, to $350. This bill would provide that the amount that each county is required to pay or contribute for the burial expenses of a veteran or a widow of a veteran shall not exceed $350. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 920 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read: 920. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise indicates, "veteran" means a person who has been honorably discharged from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, the Merchant Marine, or the American Red Cross, and who has served in any war. SEC. 2. Section 929 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read: 929. The necessary expenses, not to exceed three hundred fifty dollars ($350), for burial or cremation of any indigent veteran may be paid out of the money available under this article. SEC. 3. Section 930 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read: 930. The money necessary to carry out this article may be taken from the general fund of the county. SEC. 4. Section 944 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read: 944. In the event a deceased veteran or a widow of a veteran has been interred other than by the person designated by the board of supervisors, the person so designated may pay the sum of three hundred fifty dollars ($350) toward the burial expenses of the person who would have been entitled to interment by the person designated by the supervisors. SEC. 5. Section 945 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read: 945. The expenses to the county of each burial or contribution shall not exceed the sum of three hundred fifty dollars ($350). Claims therefor are governed by Part 3 (commencing with Section 900) and Part 4 (commencing with Section 940) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code.