BILL NUMBER: AB 882	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 25, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Cook

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to add  Section 64.5 to   and repeal
Section 700.5 of, and to add and repeal Chapter 2.5 (commencing with
Section 775) of Division 4 of,  the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to veterans.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 882, as amended, Cook.  Department of Veterans Affairs:
consolidation of services to veterans.   Veterans:
benefits and services. 
   Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs within
state government and sets forth its powers and duties, including,
but not limited to, administration of veterans benefits programs.
Existing law establishes the California Veterans Board within the
department and sets forth its powers and duties, including, but not
limited to, its power to determine operational policy for the
department.
   This bill would  , until January 1, 2016,  establish the
California Veterans Services and Workforce Development Division
within the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of
coordinating and administering veterans assistance programs in the
state, and would require the division to perform various functions
and duties relating to the coordination and administration of
veterans assistance programs, as specified. The bill would require
the administrative and support staff responsible for the
administration of the specified programs to be transferred from the
Employment Development Department  (EDD)  to the division,
and would require the costs of the transfer to utilize existing
resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
   The federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 provides for
workforce investment activities, including activities in which states
may participate. Existing law contains various programs for job
training and employment investment, including work incentive and
employment training outreach programs. Existing law, the California
Workforce Investment Act, requires each local workforce investment
board to establish at least one full service one-stop career center
in the local workforce investment area and to provide specified job
placement services.  
   This bill would, until January 1, 2016, establish the One-Stop
Center Pilot Program For Veterans' Compensation and Benefits
Assistance in the counties of Los Angeles and San Diego and in the
city and county of San Francisco for the purpose of providing
collaboration between the EDD and county veteran service officers in
order to more effectively achieve increased compensation and pension
benefit claims for California veterans through the established
one-stop career centers, as specified. As part of the pilot program,
the bill would require the department to enter into agreements with
the counties and city and county in which the program is established
in order to combine the resources and personnel of the county veteran
service officers, the department, and the EDD. By imposing new
duties on local government with respect to the implementation of
these local programs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local
program.  
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.  
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.  
   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to
the necessity of a special statute for the counties of Los Angeles
and San Diego and the city and county of San Francisco. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program:  no   yes  .


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature hereby finds and declares the
following:
   (a) California has the largest veteran population in the nation,
comprised of an estimated 2 million veterans. Each month, thousands
of military personnel are released from active service and face
tremendous challenges transitioning back into civilian life.
   (b) The challenges military veterans face are compounded by a
complex system of veteran assistance programs that is difficult to
navigate.
   (c) The United States Department of Veterans Affairs expended
approximately $6 billion in California in the 2005 federal fiscal
year. Of that amount, $2.66 billion dollars was in disability
payments (compensation and benefits) to veterans. The states that
have the largest veteran populations in the nation are California,
Florida, and Texas. Texas veterans have collected 44 percent more
disability benefits than the amount collected by California veterans.

   (d) Increasing disability benefit participation in California in
an amount that would approach the national average could generate an
additional $330 million in annual payments to California veterans.
   (e) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this act to
consolidate the veterans assistance programs and their dedicated
staff as identified in Section 64.5 of the Military and Veterans
Code, as added by this act, within the California Veterans Services
and Workforce Development Division of the Department of Veterans
Affairs. 
  SEC. 2.    Section 64.5 is added to the Military
and Veterans Code, to read:
   64.5.   (a) The California Veterans Services and Workforce
Development Division is hereby established within the department for
the purpose of coordinating and administering veterans assistance
programs in the state. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall have
authority over the division.
   (b) The division shall do all of the following:
   (1) Coordinate with other state agencies that provide benefits and
assistance to veterans to ensure that information about veterans
assistance programs and benefits is made available to all state
agencies that serve veterans in the state.
   (2) Administer the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the
Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP), and oversee the duties of
Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER) as prescribed
under the federal Jobs for Veterans State Grants program, in
cooperation with the Employment Development Department (EDD). The
division shall work with staff from the EDD to develop a plan whereby
responsibility for the administration of TAP, DVOP, and LVER shall
be transferred from the EDD to the division. The development of the
plan shall be completed on or before April 1, 2012.
   (3) Ensure that other state agencies and officials that are
involved in the implementation and administration of veterans
services programs are informed when any changes in existing programs
are required, or new programs are established that provide assistance
and benefits to veterans, and require that those agencies and
officials report to the division when those changes occur or new
programs are established.
   (4) Coordinate with staff from other state agencies, including,
but not limited to, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the
Employment Training Panel, the California Workforce Investment Board,
the State Department of Mental Health, the Department of General
Services, the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, and
representatives of the University of California, the California State
University, and the California community colleges with regard to the
provision of veterans services and benefits.
   (c) (1) In complying with this section, all administrative and
support staff responsible for the administration of the DVOP, TAP,
and LVER shall be transferred from the EDD to the division.
   (2) Any costs associated with the implementation of these
transfers shall utilize existing resources of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, as the operational cost of these programs utilizes
funding from the Jobs for Veterans State Grant program, as prescribed
within the United States Department of Labor. 
   SEC. 2.    Section 700.5 is added to the 
Military and Veterans Code   , to read:  
   700.5.   (a) The California Veterans Services and Workforce
Development Division is hereby established within the department for
the purpose of coordinating and administering veterans assistance
programs in the state. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall have
authority over the division.
   (b) The division shall do all of the following:
   (1) Coordinate with other state agencies that provide benefits and
assistance to veterans to ensure that information about veterans
assistance programs and benefits is made available to all state
agencies that serve veterans in the state.
   (2) Administer the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) as
prescribed under the federal Jobs for Veterans State Grants program,
in coooperation with the Employment Development Department (EDD). The
division shall work with staff from the EDD to develop a plan
whereby responsibility for the administration of the TAP shall be
transferred from the EDD to the division. The development of the plan
shall be completed on or before April 1, 2012.
   (c) (1) In complying with this section, all administrative and
support staff responsible for the administration of the TAP shall be
transferred from the EDD to the division.
   (2) Any costs associated with the implementation of these
transfers shall utilize existing resources of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, as the operational cost of these programs utilizes
funding from the Jobs for Veterans State Grant program, as prescribed
within the United States Department of Labor.
   (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends
that date. 
   SEC. 3.    Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 775)
is added to Division 4 of the   Military and Veterans Code
  , to read:  
      CHAPTER 2.5.  ONE-STOP CENTER PILOT PROGRAM FOR VETERANS'
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS ASSISTANCE


   775.  For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the
following meanings:
   (a) "Department" means the Department of Veterans Affairs.
   (b) "EDD" means the Employment Development Department.
   (c) "One-stop career center" means a one-stop career center
established pursuant to Section 14230 of the Unemployment Insurance
Code and located in the county of Los Angeles or San Diego or the
city and county of San Francisco.
   (d) "Pilot project" means the One-Stop Center Pilot Program for
Veterans' Compensation and Benefits Assistance established by this
chapter.
   776.  The One-Stop Center Pilot Program For Veterans' Compensation
and Benefits Assistance is hereby established in the counties of Los
Angeles and San Diego and in the City and County of San Francisco
for the purpose of collaboration between the department, the EDD, and
the county veteran service officers of those respective counties and
city and county in order to more effectively achieve increased
compensation and pension benefit claims for California veterans
through the established one-stop career centers as a part of the
Local Veteran Employment Representative program, as prescribed by the
United States Department of Labor.
   777.  For purposes of the pilot project, the department shall
enter into agreements with the counties and city and county in which
the program is established in order to combine the resources and
personnel of the county veteran service officers, the department, and
the EDD.
   778.  The sole purpose of the pilot project is to provide that the
EDD and one-stop career centers share information with the county
veterans service officers and collaborate in order to more
effectively address the needs of our veterans.
   779.  This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends
that date. 
   SEC. 4.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. 
   SEC. 5.    The Legislature finds and declares that a
special law is necessary and that a general law cannot be made
applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the
California Constitution because of the unique need to assist the
large populations of unemployed veterans in the counties of Los
Angeles and San Diego and the city and county of San Francisco.