BILL NUMBER: AB 2198	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 21, 2012
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 24, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 16, 2012
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 11, 2012
	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, 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
October 1.
   Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to
annually prepare a report of the activities of county veterans
service officers, as specified, and may require each county veterans
service officer to submit information required to prepare the report.

   This bill would revise the reporting requirements of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to include 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, 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.



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.
  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 veterans 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 veterans
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veterans 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 veterans 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 veterans service
officers. The department shall, on or before October 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 veterans 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 veterans
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 veterans 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 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as
amended by Section 28 of Chapter 32 of the Statutes of 2012, 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 veterans 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 veterans
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon
performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs for these purposes.
   (1) For the purposes of this section, "workload unit" means a
specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to
counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by
county veterans service officers.
   (2) For the purposes of this subdivision, the department, by June
30, 2013, shall develop a performance-based formula that will
incentivize county veterans service officers to perform workload
units that help veterans access federal compensation and pension
benefits and other benefits, in order to maximize the amount of
federal money received by California veterans.
   (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 veterans service
officers. The department shall, on or before October 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) The department shall conduct a review of the high-performing
and low-performing county veterans service officers and based on this
review, shall produce a best-practices manual for county veterans
service officers by June 30, 2013.
   (e) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the
amount annually budgeted for county veterans 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 veterans
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 veterans 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 veterans service officers justify that increase
in the budget.
   (f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2016, and as of that date is repealed.
  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 veterans service
officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to
submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall
include the following:
   (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 health care 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 offices, 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
veterans 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
(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.