BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 221
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB
221 (Jackson)
As Amended July 9, 2015
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE: 40-0
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Public |6-0 |Bonta, Waldron, | |
|Employees | |Cooley, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Jones-Sawyer, | |
| | |O'Donnell, Rendon | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Veterans |8-0 |Irwin, Mathis, Alejo, | |
|Affairs | |Brough, Brown, Daly, | |
| | |Frazier, Salas | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |17-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bloom, Bonta, | |
| | |Calderon, Chang, | |
| | |Nazarian, Eggman, | |
SB 221
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| | |Gallagher, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Quirk, Rendon, | |
| | |Wagner, Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Provides any state employee who is hired on or after
January 1, 2016, and who is a military veteran with a military
service-connected disability rated at 30% or more with
additional credit for sick leave with pay of up to 96 hours, as
specified. Specifically, this bill:
1)Provides, in addition to any other entitlement for sick leave
with pay, an additional credit for sick leave with pay of up
to 96 hours to a state officer or employee hired after January
1, 2016, who is a military veteran with a military
service-connected disability rated at 30% or more by the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
2)Requires the additional sick leave be for the purposes of
undergoing medical treatment for a military service-connected
disability.
3)Requires the additional sick leave to be credited on the first
day of the eligible employee's employment and be available for
use for the following 12 months of employment.
4)Prohibits any portion of the 96 hours of additional leave not
used during the 12 month period from accruing to the employee
and provides that any unused leave upon termination of the 12
month period will be forfeited.
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5)Permits employing agencies to require "submission of
satisfactory proof" that the sick leave is being used for
treatment of a service-connected disability, pursuant to rules
adopted by the Department of Human Resources.
6)Specifies that this act shall be known, and may be cited, as
the California Wounded Warriors Transitional Leave Act.
EXISTING LAW provides each state officer and employee who is
employed full time with one day of credit for sick leave with
pay following the completion of one month of continuous service.
Each state officer or employee is entitled to this leave with
pay, on the submission of satisfactory proof of the necessity
for sick leave as provided by rule of the department. Unused
sick leave accumulates throughout the individual's employment.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1)Unknown, but potentially significant General and Special Fund
costs to state agencies, in excess of $150,000, as a result of
granting additional sick leave credit; potentially minor
administrative costs to modify systems and procedures and
monitor compliance.
2)Potential cost savings to state agencies that provide services
to disabled veterans to the extent the additional sick leave
affords those veterans greater access to their federal
Veterans Affairs benefits.
COMMENTS: According to the author, "Newly hired state employees
begin their careers with no sick leave, and accrue it slowly,
after their first month of employment, at a rate of 8 hours per
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month. As a result, disabled veterans who have recently entered
the workforce may not have sufficient sick leave to attend
medical appointments on a regular basis."
"Many veterans are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with
physical and mental health issues that require medical
attention. VA appointments can be very hard to get and very
difficult to reschedule. A shortage of mental health specialists
in the VA makes it particularly important to follow up and
attend appointments as soon as they are received."
The author concludes, "For these disabled veterans, SB 221 will
mean an easier transition from military to state service. For
the state, this will mean a healthier and more productive
workforce, and a way to show our continued commitment to the men
and women who have served our country."
Analysis Prepared by:
Karon Green / P.E.,R., & S.S. / (916) 319-3957
FN:
0001639