BILL NUMBER: AB 2263 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 23, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 22, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bradford
FEBRUARY 21, 2014
An act to add Sections 2695.1, 2695.2, 2695.3, and 2695.4
2695.4, and 2695.5 to the Penal Code, relating
to veterans.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2263, as amended, Bradford. Veterans service
ombudsman: advocate: correctional facilities.
Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs, which
is responsible for administering various programs and services for
the benefit of veterans, and the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation to oversee the state prison system. Existing law also
authorizes each county board of supervisors to appoint a county
veterans service officer to perform specified veterans-related
services, including assisting veterans in pursuing claims for federal
or state veterans' benefits. Under existing law, the Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation is required to develop guidance
policies relative to the release of veterans who are inmates with the
intent to assist veterans who are inmates in pursuing claims for
federal veterans' benefits, or in establishing rights to any other
privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided under federal
or state law because of honorable service in the military. In
developing those policies, the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation is authorized to coordinate with the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the county veterans service officer or veterans
service organizations.
This bill would require a staff member to
authorize a veterans service organization to volunteer to serve
as a veterans service ombudsman advocate
at each facility that is under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The veterans
service ombudsman advocate would be responsible
for assisting inmates who are veterans in pursuing claims
for veterans' benefits, as specified. developing a
veterans economic recidivism prevention plan. The bill would require,
in order to assist with the development and execution of that plan,
the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to, among other
things, provide the advocate with access, subject to restrictions, to
inmates who are veterans and to existing resources, as
specified, that would assist the advocate in implementing the
veterans economic recidivism prevention plan. The bill would
require the veterans service ombudsman
advocate to coordinate with the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and county
veterans service officers, as specified. The bill would define
"advocate" and "veteran" for these purposes, and would include a
related statement of legislative intent.
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. It is the intent of the Legislature to help inmates who
have served in the military to access federal and state veterans'
benefits earned from military service so that those inmates are
better equipped to successfully reintegrate into the community,
thereby reducing costs to the state.
SEC. 2. Section 2695.1 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
2695.1. At each facility that is under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, there shall be
a staff member who shall a veterans
service organization may volunteer to serve as a veterans
service ombudsman advocate .
SEC. 3. Section 2695.2 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
2695.2. (a) The ombudsman
described in Section 2695.1 advocate shall be
responsible for assisting inmates who are veterans,
including, but not limited to, facilitating access of inmates who are
veterans to county veterans service officers, United States
Department of Veterans Affairs and California Department of Veterans
Affairs officers and personnel, and facilitating access to the
inmates who are veterans by those officers and personnel, so that the
inmates who are veterans may pursue claims for federal veterans'
benefits or any other privilege, preference, care, or compensation
provided under federal or state law because of service in the
military. developing a veterans economic recidivism
prevention plan within 180 days prior to an inmate's
release date.
(b) The veterans economic recidivism prevention plan shall
include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Facilitating access of each inmate who is a veteran to county
veterans service officers, California Department of Veterans Affairs
and United States Department of Veterans Affairs officers and
personnel, so that the inmate may pursue claims for federal veterans'
benefits or any other privilege, preference, care, or compensation
provided under federal or state law because of the inmate's service
in the military.
(2) Developing a plan for how an inmate who is a veteran will
access earned veterans' benefits that he or she may be eligible for
upon the inmate's release.
(c) In order to assist with the development and execution of the
veterans economic recidivism prevention plan, the Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation shall do both of the following:
(1) (A) Facilitate access by the advocate to each inmate who is a
veteran.
(B) Access by the advocate is subject to those department
screening and clearance guidelines and training requirements that are
imposed on other visitors and volunteers.
(C) Access by the advocate shall be allowed to the extent it does
not pose a threat to the security or safety of the facility, or to
inmates and staff.
(2) Provide the advocate with access to existing resources,
including, but not limited to, computer and Internet access, that
would assist the advocate in implementing the veterans economic
recidivism prevention plan, to the extent it does not pose a threat
to the security or safety of the facility, or to inmates and staff.
SEC. 4. Section 2695.3 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
2695.3. The ombudsman described in Section 2695.1
advocate shall coordinate with the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs in order to provide inmates
who are veterans each inmate who is a veteran
with access to earned veterans' benefits.
SEC. 5. Section 2695.4 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
2695.4. The ombudsman described in Section 2695.1
advocate shall coordinate with the California
Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veterans service
officer in the county in which the facility is located for advice,
assistance, and training, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the
program veterans economic recidivism
prevention plan .
SEC. 6. Section 2695.5 is added to the
Penal Code , to read:
2695.5. For purposes of this article, the following definitions
shall apply:
(a) "Advocate" means a veterans service organization that is
federally certified and has volunteered to serve as a veterans
service advocate pursuant to this title.
(b) "Veteran" means a person who has been discharged from the
United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force,
United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, the Merchant
Marine, or the American Red Cross.