BILL NUMBER: AB 1737	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Chávez

                        FEBRUARY 14, 2014

   An act to amend Section 974.5 of the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1737, as introduced, Chávez. County veteran service centers:
interagency agreements.
   Existing law establishes various state benefits for veterans, and
authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans and
their dependents. Existing law authorizes a county board of
supervisors to appoint a county veterans service officer to perform
certain veteran-related services. Existing law also authorizes the
Department of Veterans Affairs and the Employment Development
Department to enter into interagency agreements with individual
counties that elect to participate, to provide resources and staff,
or both, as necessary to locate within a single facility owned by the
participating county, under the coordination of the county veteran
service director, a more complete and convenient local service
program for veterans that is nonduplicative and does not conflict
with any federal one-stop service program.
   This bill would remove references to the Employment Development
Department from the above-described provisions, thereby vesting sole
authority for the interagency agreements with the Department of
Veterans Affairs. The bill also would make related technical changes.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 974.5 of the Military and Veterans Code is
amended to read:
   974.5.  (a) The purpose of this section is to provide a mechanism
to facilitate the delivery of complete, efficient, information and
other services to veterans in a convenient setting.
   (b) By July 1, 1999, the Department of Veterans Affairs 
and the Department of Employment Development  may enter into
interagency agreements with individual counties that elect to
participate in the program pursuant to this section, after a
determination that services to be provided pursuant to this section
are not otherwise being provided and  would, thus, 
 thus would  not be duplicated. Services provided pursuant
to this section shall not be contrary to the purposes of, nor shall
they be in conflict with, any one-stop service program provided under
federal guidelines. Pursuant to the agreements  ,  the
 departments   department  may agree to
provide resources and staff, or both, as necessary  ,  to
locate within a single facility owned by the participating county,
under the coordination of the county veteran service director, a more
complete and convenient local service program for veterans.
   (c) The veteran service center shall be staffed with persons
knowledgeable in employment and veterans benefits issues, and shall
contain all necessary resources, information, forms, and other
materials necessary for a veteran to receive full employment
assistance and a complete assessment of veterans benefits to which he
or she is entitled. 
   (d) The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of
Employment Development, after consulting with participating counties,
shall jointly report to the Legislature by January 1, 2002,
regarding the progress of the program.