BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 717
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 16, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Al Muratsuchi, Chair
AB 717 (Chávez) - As Amended: March 21, 2013
SUBJECT : Veterans.
SUMMARY : Changes the role and composition of the Veterans Board.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Changes the duty of the California Veterans Board (Board) from
determining all policies for the Department of Veterans
Affairs (CalVet) to serving as an advisory body to the CalVet
Secretary.
2)Deletes the requirements that:
a) A member of the Board have substantial training or
professional expertise in mortgage lending and real estate
finance.
b) A member of the Board have substantial training or
professional expertise in geriatrics, gerontology, or
long-term care.
c) A member of the Board have an accounting or auditing
background, and preferably shall be a certified public
accountant.
d) A member of the Board have a degree in health care
administration or have experience in the financial
management of health care facilities.
3)Requires that every member of the Board be a member in good
standing with a congressionally chartered veteran service
organization.
4)Retains the requirement that a member of the Board shall 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:
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a) Combat-related disorders;
b) Sexual trauma; and
c) Homelessness.
5)Directs that nothing in the bill shall be construed to
prohibit any member of the Board from serving the remainder of
his or her term.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Creates the Board. The Board shall consist of seven members
who shall be appointed by the Governor subject to the
confirmation of the Senate.
2)Requires that all members of the board shall be veterans as
"veteran" is defined in Section 18540.4 of the Government
Code. One of these members shall also be retired from the
active or reserve forces of the United States military
service. One of these members shall also be a resident of a
California veterans home.
3)Requires:
4)One member of the Board must have substantial training or
professional expertise in mortgage lending and real estate
finance.
5)One member of the Board must have substantial training or
professional expertise in geriatrics, gerontology, or
long-term care.
6)One member of the Board shall have an accounting or auditing
background, and preferably shall be a certified public
accountant.
7)One member of the Board must have a degree in health care
administration or have experience in the financial management
of health care facilities.
8)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
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following issues:
a) Combat-related disorders;
b) Sexual trauma;
c) Homelessness.
9)Provides that Board appointments shall be for terms of four
years.
10)Mandates that the member of the board who is a resident of a
California veterans home shall be appointed for a term
expiring January 15 of an odd-numbered year. Subsequent
appointments shall be made on a rotational basis based on the
age of the home, beginning with the oldest veterans home with
independent living.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown at this time.
COMMENTS :
According to the author:
AB 717 is a much needed change that will encourage our
board members to become more invested in the well-being of
California Veterans. Currently the appointees to the CVB
must represent very specific professional areas including a
mortgage expert, aging care professional, auditor, and
healthcare administrator. These professional requirements
were added to infuse expertise into CDVA when the board was
used to establish operational policy, a practice which was
retired over forty years ago. Not only are these
professions not useful in fulfilling the job of an
oversight board, but the application pool is significantly
restricted.
Secondly, current law states that the CVB sets policy for
CDVA. This has not been common practice in forty years as
CDVA has grown. AB 717 updates law to reflect current
practice of using the CVB as an advisory board to the
Secretary of CDVA.
Since the board's inception there have been a number of bills
requiring particular expertise for increasing numbers of the
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Board members. Anecdotal evidence is that it has been difficult
to fill seats on the Board due to the highly specialized nature
of the many requirements. If indeed it has been difficult to
fill the seats because of the restrictive nature of the
appointment conditions, this measure should address that in
large part.
The decision to remove most of these requirements does represent
a policy shift, however, from a highly regulated approach to the
composition of the Board to an approach which transfers much
more discretion to the appointment process and the Governor.
A significant policy shift is also present in the proposal as it
changes the role of the Board from determining all policies of
CalVet to serving as an advisory body. Discussions with the
Board and CalVet staff suggest that the bill will, as the author
suggests, conform the code to the status quo. Nevertheless, a
policy question for members is present as to whether to alter
the statutory role of the Board.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California State Commanders Veterans Council
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550