BILL NUMBER: AB 1505	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  397
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 20, 2012
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 20, 2012
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 23, 2012
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 27, 2012
	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, Hill, and
Williams)
   (Coauthor: Senator Lieu)

                        JANUARY 11, 2012

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


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1505, 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.


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 711.1 is added to the Military and Veterans Code,
to read:
   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.