BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 151
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 151 (Olsen)
As Amended June 19, 2013
Majority vote
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|ASSEMBLY: |75-0 |(April 11, |SENATE: |37-0 |(August 19, |
| | |2013) | | |2013) |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Original Committee Reference: L. GOV.
SUMMARY : Allows the governing board of any county to grant
financial assistance, relief, and support to a disabled veteran.
The Senate amendments delete the prior language and instead
allow the governing board of any county to grant financial
assistance, relief, and support to a disabled veteran, defined
in current law as a veteran of the military, naval, or air
service of the United States, including, but not limited to, the
Philippine Commonwealth Army, the Regular Scouts, "Old Scouts,"
and the Special Philippine Scouts, "New Scouts," who has at
least a 10% service-connected disability and who is domiciled in
the state.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Allows the board of supervisors of any county or the
legislative body of any city to grant financial assistance,
relief, and support to indigent veterans, and specifies that
such assistance, relief, and support shall be administered
through and by any military, naval, or marine organization
created for the purpose of aiding, relieving and supporting
such veterans.
2)Allows eligible veterans to hawk, peddle and vend any goods,
wares or merchandise owned by him, as specified, without
payment of any business license, tax or fee by any
municipality, county or the state.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill:
1)Allowed a governing board of any county or city to grant
financial assistance, relief, and support to disabled veterans
AB 151
Page 2
by reducing or waiving building inspection or permit fees
charged by the county or city for the modification of a
dwelling owned by a disabled veteran for the purpose of making
the dwelling more accessible.
2)Required the governing body to use its general fund or other
appropriate revenue source to compensate for the difference
between a fee reduced or waived pursuant to the bill's
provisions and the fee that would otherwise be charged.
3)Used the same definition for "disabled veteran" as existing
law, which is defined as "a veteran of the military, naval, or
air service of the United States, including, but not limited
to, the Philippine Commonwealth Army, the Regular Scouts, 'Old
Scouts,' and the Special Philippine Scouts, 'New Scouts,' who
has at least a 10-percent service-connected disability and who
is domiciled in the state."
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : This bill allows counties to grant financial
assistance, relief, and support to disabled veterans.
California offers several programs targeted to benefit the needs
of veterans. According to the California Department of Veterans
Affairs, there are programs in place that waive college tuition
fees for veterans' dependents at community colleges, the
California State University (CSU) and University of California
(UC) system, a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Program, and
a program that gives veterans preference in civil service
examinations. Additionally, there are programs that waive motor
vehicle registration fees, provide free "DV" handicap parking
license plates for qualified veterans, allow for reduced fishing
and hunting license fees for veterans, provide lifetime
California Parks passes, and allow for a waiver of municipal,
county and state business license fees and taxes for veterans
for specified business activities. This bill could provide
additional benefits for disabled veterans in those counties that
choose to extend a financial helping hand.
This bill is similar to AB 1592 (Olsen) of 2012, which allowed
the governing board of any city or county to grant financial
assistance, relief, and support to disabled veterans by reducing
or waiving building inspection or permit fees charged by the
city or county for the modification of a dwelling owned by a
AB 151
Page 3
disabled veteran for the purpose of making the dwelling more
accessible. The bill required the governing body to use its
general fund or other appropriate revenue source to compensate
for the difference between a fee reduced or waived and the fee
that would otherwise be charged. AB 1592 was held in Senate
Rules.
Support arguments: This bill is permissive in nature and allows
counties to grant financial assistance, relief, and support to
disabled veterans in the same manner that counties and cities
are able to do for indigent veterans.
Opposition arguments: While this bill is permissive and does
not require local governments to grant financial assistance,
relief, and support to disabled veterans, there is some question
about whether legislation is needed to allow counties to engage
in this practice.
Analysis Prepared by : Angela Mapp / L. GOV. / (916) 319-3958
FN: 0001497