BILL NUMBER: AB 2198	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nielsen

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2012

   An act to amend Sections 972.1 and 974 of the Military and
Veterans Code, relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2198, as introduced, Nielsen. Department of Veterans Affairs:
reporting requirements.
   Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to
disburse funds, appropriated to the department for the purpose of
supporting county veterans service officers pursuant to the annual
Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties that comply with certain
conditions. Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs
to annually determine the amount of new or increased monetary
benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal government
attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers,
and requires the department to prepare and transmit its determination
for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the
Legislature on or before January 1 of each year.
   This bill would extend the January 1 date specified above to March
1.
   Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to
annually prepare a report of the activities of county veteran service
officers, as specified, and may require each county veterans service
officer to submit information required to prepare the report.
   This bill would expand the reporting requirements of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to include the number of veterans and
their dependents who came in contact with a county veterans service
officer, for whom federal or state claims were filed, and who
received services from the federal government, as provided, and the
number of homeless veterans and their dependents who were assisted in
obtaining federal benefits.
   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 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as
amended by Section 1 of Chapter 183 of the Statutes of 2009, is
amended to read:
   972.1.  (a) The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 1989-90 fiscal year, for
purposes of funding the activities of county veteran service officers
pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall
be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
   (b) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis
to counties that have established and maintain a county veteran
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veteran service officer under a formula based upon
performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs for these purposes.
   (c) The department shall annually determine the amount of new or
increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal
government attributable to the assistance of county veteran service
officers. The department shall, on or before  January 1
  March 1  of each year, prepare and transmit its
determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of
Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review
the department's determination in time to use the information in the
annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next
fiscal year.
   (d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the
amount annually budgeted for county veteran service officers is
approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature
further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use
of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veteran
service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars
($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the
state's veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
   (2) It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the
department's determination in subdivision (c), to consider an
increase in the annual budget for county veteran service officers in
an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the
monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase
in the budget.
   (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2016, and as of that date is repealed.
  SEC. 2.  Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as
amended by Section 2 of Chapter 183 of the Statutes of 2009, is
amended to read:
   972.1.  (a) The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 1989-90 fiscal year, for
purposes of funding the activities of county veteran service officers
pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall
be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
   (b) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis
to counties that have established and maintain a county veteran
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veteran service officer under a formula based upon
performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in
any fiscal year for county veteran service officers in an amount not
less than the amount allocated in the 1988-89 fiscal year.
   (c) The department shall annually determine the amount of new or
increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal
government attributable to the assistance of county veteran service
officers. The department shall, on or before  January 1
  March 1  of each year, prepare and transmit its
determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of
Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review
the department's determination in time to use the information in the
annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next
fiscal year.
   (d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the
amount annually budgeted for county veteran service officers is
approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature
further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use
of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veteran
service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars
($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the
state's veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
   (2) It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the
department's determination in subdivision (c), to consider an
increase in the annual budget for county veteran service officers in
an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the
monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase
in the budget.
   (e) This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.
  SEC. 3.  Section 974 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended
to read:
   974.  (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually
prepare a report of the activities of county veteran service
officers, and may require each county veteran service officer to
submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall
include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   (1) The number of monthly federal benefit payments obtained on
behalf of veterans.
   (2) The total value of those monthly benefit payments.
   (3) The average value of those monthly benefit payments.
   (4) The number of one-time benefit payments obtained, including
both single-payment benefits and retroactive payments.
   (5) The total value of one-time benefit payments obtained.
   (6) The average value of these one-time benefit payments obtained.

   (7) The number of veterans and their dependents who came in
contact with a county veterans service officer.  
   (8) The number of veterans and their dependents for whom federal
or state claims were filed, including new or increased claims. 

   (9) The number of veterans and their dependents who received
services from the federal government that relieved any financial
obligation of the state or a county.  
   (10) The number of homeless veterans and their dependents who were
assisted in obtaining federal benefits. 
   (b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to
 (6)   (10)  , inclusive, of subdivision
(a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide
total.
   (c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the
Department of Finance, the State Department of Health  Care 
Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the
Legislature.