BILL NUMBER: SB 950	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 29, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Wiggins

                        FEBRUARY 4, 2010

   An act to amend Section 1035.7 of the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 950, as amended, Wiggins.  Veterans  
Veterans'  homes: accounting for charges: written notification.
   Existing law provides for the establishment and operation of the
Veterans' Home of California at various sites, and that there shall
be an administrator for each home or homesite. Existing law requires
the administrator of the home to provide each member of the home upon
admission, with a written notice, as specified, of the costs of care
that may be incurred in excess of the member contribution fee.
   This bill would require the written notice to also include the
terms and conditions upon which the member fees and costs can be
changed, and to require a signature of the veteran to acknowledge
that he or she has read and understands the notice. This bill would
also require the notice to be written in plain, straightforward
language  and to be posted in each veterans' home  , as
specified.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 1035.7 of the Military and Veterans Code is
amended to read:
   1035.7.  (a) Upon admission to a California  veterans
  veterans'  home, the administrator of each home
shall provide written notice to the veteran informing him or her of
costs of care that may be incurred in excess of the member
contribution fee. The notification shall:
   (1) Include an explanation of circumstances under which the member
may incur costs that are in excess of the contribution fee.
   (2) Specifically indicate that these excess costs of care are
costs in addition to, or above and beyond, the member contribution
fee.
   (3) Provide examples of "excess costs of care that are frequently
incurred by veterans."
   (4) Inform the member that he or she will receive a quarterly
accounting statement of the total excess costs of care, but that the
statement is provided for informational purposes only.
   (5) Inform the veteran that, if he or she is a resident of the
home at the time of death, the home may disburse his or her moneys or
personal property for payment of unreimbursed excess costs of care.
   (6) Include a statement advising the member to seek counsel from a
legal expert to protect his or her assets.
   (7) Include the terms and conditions upon which the member fees
and costs can be changed.
   (b) The notification shall require the signature of the veteran
that acknowledges that he or she has read and understands the
notification.
   (c) The notification shall be written in plain, straightforward
language, avoiding technical terms as much as possible, and using a
coherent and easily readable style. 
   (d) A copy of the notification, containing all the information
specified in subdivision (a) and titled in large font "NOTICE TO
RESIDENTS," shall be conspicuously posted in each veterans' home by
the administrator of the veterans' home.