BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 315
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 1, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

               AB 315 (Committee on Veterans Affairs) - As Introduced:   
                                 February 12, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              Water, Parks and  
          Wildlife     Vote:                            15-0
                         Veterans Affairs                     10-0
                                                             
          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill expands the Distinguished Veteran Pass program at the  
          Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to include all Purple  
          Heart recipients.   Specifically, this bill allows any veteran  
          wounded overseas in combat free access to all state park day use  
          and camping sites regardless of disability.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)Unknown revenue loss, potentially in excess of $1 million, to  
            DPR.

            Assuming an annual revenue loss of $350 per pass and assuming  
            this bill results in an additional 5,000 to 10,000 passes  
            issued, annual revenue loss would be in the $1.75 to $3.5  
            million range.

          2) Increased administrative costs to process the Distinguished  
            Veteran Pass application.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose.   According to the author this bill is intended to  
            extend the Distinguished Veteran Pass to all Purple Heart  
            recipients regardless of their ultimate disability rating.  

             The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the  
            name of the President to those who, while serving with the  
            U.S. military on or after April 5, 1917 have been wounded or  








                                                                  AB 315
                                                                  Page  2

            killed in any action against an enemy of the U.S., or as a  
            result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces.

           2)Background.   The Distinguished Veteran Pass provides lifetime  
            free access to state parks for honorably discharged war  
            veterans with an overall/combined rating of a 50% or greater  
            service-connected disability.   This pass is also available to  
            veterans who were held as prisoners of war and recipients of  
            the Congressional Medal of Honor. 

             Since 1979, approximately 26,000 passes have been issued.     
            It is unknown how many Purple Heart recipients reside in  
            California but using national figures, it may be approximately  
            60,000 people.   This award is only issued to people who were  
            wounded overseas in combat.   It is likely that the majority  
            of Purple Heart recipients already qualify under the existing  
            program.  

          3)  Related Legislation.    The committee will also hear AB 150  
            (Olsen), to provide veterans and active duty servicemen and  
            women free access to state parks on Memorial and Veteran Days.  

             
                
             
                

           Analysis Prepared by :    Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081