BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2548
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Date of Hearing: April 24, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Paul J. Cook, Chair
AB 2548 (Mitchell) - As Amended: April 11, 2012
SUBJECT : California Veterans Board
SUMMARY : This bill specifies that a member of the California
Veterans Board (Board) must have certain experience in the
issues of women veterans. Specifically, this bill requires :
1)One member of the board must have substantial training,
professional knowledge, or experience in the issues faced by
female veterans which may include, but are not limited to, the
following issues:
a) Combat related disorders;
b) Sexual trauma; and
c) Homelessness.
EXISTING LAW
1)The Board is created by Military and Veterans Code section 64.
2)The Board must determine the policies for all operations of
the Department of Veterans Affairs (Department).
3)The Board consists of seven members appointed by the Governor
subject to the confirmation of the Senate.
4)All members of the Board must be veterans as "veteran" is
defined in Section 18540.4 of the Government Code.
a) One of these members must be retired from the active or
reserve forces of the United States military service.
b) One of these members must be a resident of a California
veterans home.
c) One member of the board must have substantial training
or professional expertise in mortgage lending and real
estate finance.
d) One other member of the board must have substantial
training or professional expertise in geriatrics,
AB 2548
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gerontology, or long-term care.
e) One member of the board must have an accounting or
auditing background, and preferably shall be a certified
public accountant.
f) One member of the board must have a degree in health
care administration or shall have experience in the
financial management of health care facilities.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown at this time.
COMMENTS : As the Board is charged with determining all of the
policies for the operations of the Department and the members
are not elected, it is not unreasonable to strive for diversity
on the Board and to attempt to ensure that common issues which
might arise before the Board are dealt with by Board members
with some technical expertise in those issues. Women veterans
have some experiences in common with male veterans, but also
some issues unique to them. It would be of benefit to have a
Board member with experience, training, and/or expertise in such
issues.
Currently, unless one member satisfies more than one of the
listed secondary criteria (e.g., is a veteran who has
substantial training or professional expertise in geriatrics,
gerontology, etc. and an accounting or auditing background),
every Board member must be a veteran and every Board member save
one must meet some specific second criterion. Only one seat is
left without a specific secondary requirement attached. Adding
this new requirement could result in every member needing to
meet a specific second criterion. As a policy consideration,
this may make it hard to fill Board seats, as every criterion is
mandated, not permissive or suggestive.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
AB 2548
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Analysis Prepared by : John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550