California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1972

Introduced by Assembly Member Chau

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Brough, Brown, Dodd, Cristina Garcia, and Mathis)

(Coauthors: Senators Allen, Anderson, Hertzberg, Hueso, Nguyen, Nielsen, and Roth)

February 16, 2016

An act to amend Section 5011.5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to veterans.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1972, as introduced, Chau. Veterans: state park passes.

Existing law requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to issue a park pass for free use of all park facilities in the state park system to any veteran of war, as defined, in which the United States has been, or may be, engaged, and who meets specified criteria, such as being a resident of this state, presenting to the department proof of a service-connected disability, being held captive as a prisoner of war, or receiving a Congressional Medal of Honor, and having been honorably discharged from service.

This bill would instead require the Department of Parks and Recreation to issue a park pass for free use of all park facilities in the state park system to any veteran who meets the criteria set forth above. The bill would make related conforming 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 5011.5 of the Public Resources Code is
amended to read:

5011.5.  

(a) A veteran begin delete of a war in which the United States has
been, or may be engaged, end delete who is a resident of this state, upon
presentation to the department of proof of disability, proof of being
held captive as a prisoner of war, or proof of being a recipient of
a Congressional Medal of Honor, and proof of an honorable
discharge from service, upon application therefor, shall be issued
a pass entitling the bearer to the use of all facilities, including boat
launching facilities, in units of the state park system.

(b) As used in this section:

begin insert

(1) “Disability” means a veteran who has a 50 percent or
greater service-connected disability, as certified by the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs.

end insert begin insert

(2) “Prisoner of war” means a veteran who was held as a
prisoner of war by forces hostile to the United States, as certified
by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

end insert begin delete

(1)

end delete

begin insert (3) end insert  “Veteran” means a former member of the Armed Forces of
the United States who begin delete has a 50 percent or greater service-connected
disability, or who was held as a prisoner of war by forces hostile
to the United States, as certified by the United States Department
of Veterans Affairs, and who end delete was honorably discharged from
service.

begin delete

(2) “War” means that period of time commencing when
Congress declares war or when the Armed Forces of the United
States are engaged in active military operations against a foreign
power, whether or not war has been formally declared, and ending
upon the termination of hostilities as proclaimed by the President
of the United States.

end delete