BILL NUMBER: AB 1505	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 6, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 3, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 9, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Pan
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Kehoe)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Allen, Atkins, Fletcher,  and
Hill   Hill,   and Williams  )
   (Coauthor: Senator Lieu)

                        JANUARY 11, 2012

   An act to add Section  711   711.1  to
the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1505, as amended, Pan. Department of Veterans Affairs: veterans'
benefits: reinstatement.
   Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs, which
is responsible for administering various programs and services for
the benefit of veterans.
   This bill would provide that if the federal government acts to
reinstate benefits to discharged veterans, as specified, who were
denied those benefits solely on the basis of sexual orientation
pursuant to any federal policy prohibiting homosexual personnel from
serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, the state shall
reinstate to those veterans any state-offered benefits, as provided.
   This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to
provide Internet resources, Internet links, and print materials, as
provided, regarding  , or created by,  veterans' legal
services organizations that specialize in military discharge
upgrades.
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to extend fair and equal
treatment with regard to the administration of veterans' services and
programs to California's veteran population regardless of sexual
orientation.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to respond to any federal
reinstatement of benefits for discharged veterans, regardless of
their discharge status, who were denied those benefits because of any
federal policy prohibiting homosexual personnel from serving in the
United States Armed Forces, by reinstating state-offered benefits for
the same veterans.
  SEC. 2.  Section  711   711.1  is added
to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:
    711.   711.1.   (a) If the federal
government acts to reinstate benefits to discharged veterans,
regardless of their discharge classification, who were denied those
benefits solely on the basis of sexual orientation pursuant to any
federal policy prohibiting homosexual personnel from serving in the
Armed Forces of the United States, the state shall reinstate to those
veterans any state-offered benefits they were denied due to those
federal policies.
   (b) To the extent practicable, the department shall do the
following:
   (1) On the department's Internet Web site, provide Internet
resources or links to Internet resources that provide information
regarding veterans' legal services organizations that specialize in
military discharge upgrades.
   (2) In the department's offices and walk-in locations, provide
printed resources, to the extent available, created by veterans'
legal services organizations that specialize in military discharge
upgrades.