BILL ANALYSIS Ó ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 10| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: SB 10 Author: Evans (D), et al Amended: 4/25/11 Vote: 27 - Urgency SENATE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE : 8-0, 4/12/11 AYES: Correa, Cannella, Berryhill, Calderon, Negrete McLeod, Rubio, Runner, Lieu SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 28.8 SUBJECT : Military and veterans: Veterans' Home Allied Council SOURCE : Veterans Home Allied Council (Sponsor) DIGEST : This bill allows the Allied Council at one of the California Veterans Homes to represent veterans from those homes in front of the legislature. ANALYSIS : Existing law establishes the Veterans' Home Allied Council pursuant to the constitution of the Allied Council, Veterans' Home of California, comprised of members of the home - as an advisory body to the Administrator of the Veterans' Home. This bill CONTINUED SB 10 Page 2 1. Allows respective Allied Councils for California's veterans' homes to represent their homes in front of the legislature. 2. Requires any representation before the legislature by the council to be approved by a majority of the council's voting members. 3. Prohibits any council representation on behalf of candidates or campaigns. 4. Requires any actions before the legislature to be in line with the council's "constitution, bylaws, and policies and procedures." 5. Code cleanup of MVC section 1050. Comments According to the author's office, "Veterans feel that better communication with the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) is possible and necessary and that in order to negotiate on their behalf, the Allied Council must have clear authority to speak for Home members?.SB 10 would permit the Veterans' Home Allied Council to represent veterans who reside in the Home in matters before the legislature." Veterans from the home maintain that due to the severe conditions of some residents and/or the advanced age of others that many-especially at the Yountville home, which has several levels of care-are unable to have their voices heard, and the only way to remedy this situation is to allow the council to speak for residents as a body. According to the author's office, "Veterans feel that better communication with CDVA is possible and necessary and that in order to negotiate on their behalf, the Allied Council must have clear authority to speak for Home members." SB 10 Page 3 FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No SUPPORT : (5/2/11) Veterans' Home Allied Council (Sponsor) OPPOSITION : (5/2/11) California State Commanders Veterans Council RM:rm 4/8/2011 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END ****