BILL NUMBER: AB 2198	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 10, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nielsen
    (   Coauthor:   Assembly Member  
Atkins   ) 

                        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 amended, 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   veterans  service officers, as specified,
and may require each county veterans service officer to submit
information required to prepare the report.
   This bill would  expand   revise  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
  family members who have contacted or utilized the
services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal
year, the number of claims filed to achieve benefits on behalf of
veterans and their dependents, the annualized monetary value of
benefits received, and a summary of services provided and special
events and activities in which county veterans service offices
participated, 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.    The Legislature finds and declares all of
the following:
   (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase awareness and
accessibility to benefits that our state veterans have earned through
service to our nation.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase the amount of
federal benefits that California's veterans receive.
   (c) It is the intent of the Legislature to be provided as complete
a picture as possible of the many ways that county veterans service
offices provide services to California's veterans.
   (d) Therefore, it is necessary for county veterans service offices
to provide data in addition to that now being provided to the
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
   SECTION 1.   SEC. 2.   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 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.   SEC. 3.   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 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.   SEC. 4.   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.  
   (1) The number of veterans and their family members who have
contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service
offices during the fiscal year.  
   (2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as
pension, disability compensation, and healthcare on behalf of
veterans and their dependents.  
   (3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans
and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans
service office, broken down by type of benefit.  
   (4) A summary of other services provided by county veterans
service offices and special events and activities in which county
veteran service offices participated, such as veterans outreach
events, homeless veteran "Stand Downs," and job fairs for veterans.

   (b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to
 (10)   (3)  , 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.