BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
LOU CORREA, CHAIRMAN
Bill No: SB 843
Author: Wolk
Version: As amended March 24, 2011
Hearing Date: April 12, 2001
Fiscal: No
Consultant: Donald E. Wilson
SUBJECT OF BILL
Veterans Home of California
PROPOSED LAW
Update the California Military and Veterans Code (MVC) to
reflect the addition of newly constructed homes in the
veterans home system.
EXISTING LAW AND BACKGROUND
Change MVC section 1011 from the future tense to the
present tense.
a) Change from "when completed" to "there is" a
Barstow veterans' home.
b) Change from "when completed" to "there is" a Chula
Vista veterans' home.
c) Change from "when completed" to "there is" a
Lancaster veterans' home.
d) Change from "when completed" to "there is" a
Ventura veterans' home.
e) Various grammatical and numbering changes for the new
list of homes to fit in the present code section.
In 1884 land in Yountville was given to the state to
establish a home for Civil War and other veterans. This
was the extent of California's involvement in veterans'
homes for over a century.
In the 1990s it was decided that a formal veteran's home
system should be created. In 1996 a new veterans' home was
opened in Barstow followed by the Chula Vista Home in 2000.
Proposition 16 of 2000 sought to raise money for two homes
- one in Ventura and one in Lancaster. It was later
decided the home system should ultimately be expanded to
eight homes. Eventually, with the help of the Federal
Government, the two new southern California homes were made
part of the Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County project
(GLAVC) and a home in West Los Angeles was added at an
extreme cost of over $180 million or over four times the
cost of the Ventura and Lancaster homes put together.
The end of 2009 saw the opening of the Ventura and
Lancaster GLAVC homes. The third GLAVC home, Los Angeles,
was completed in 2010.
COMMENT
1. This bill is the same as last year's SB 1002 (Wiggins)
2. SB 1002 of 2010 passed this committee 4-0, but was
placed on the inactive file when it reached the floor.
3. This clean up language is needed to bring the MVC up to
date, but members may want to clarify with the author if
this vehicle is intended to move or intended as a spot
bill.
SUPPORT
None received
OPPOSE
None received
Page 2
Page 3