BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 2156|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 2156
          Author:   Evans (D)
          Amended:  6/14/10 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE  :  4-0, 6/22/10
          AYES:  Denham, Correa, Negrete McLeod, Cedillo
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Wyland, Vacancy, Vacancy

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  74-0, 5/6/10 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    Military and veterans:  Veterans Home Allied  
          Council

           SOURCE  :     Allied Council, Veterans Home of California


           DIGEST  :    This bill provides for the establishment of a  
          Veterans; Home Allied Council (Council) for each veterans  
          home, and additionally permits each Council to represent  
          veterans who reside in the veterans' home for which the  
          Council was established in matters before the Legislature  
          if each Council, in the course of providing that  
          representation, complies with specified requirements.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law establishes the Veterans' Home  
          Allied Council pursuant to the constitution of the Allied  
          Council, Veterans' Home of California, comprised of members  
          of the home, as an advisory body to the Administrator of  
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          the Veterans' Home.

          This bill:

          1. Establishes a Veterans' Home Allied Council for each  
             veterans' home, which are composed of members of each  
             home and recognized as an established advisory body to  
             the administrator of each veterans home.

          2. Permits each Council to represent veterans who reside at  
             the veterans' home in matters before the Legislature.

          3.  Requires each Council, in the course of providing that  
             representation to comply with the following  
             requirements: 

             A.     The Council's representation shall be approved  
                by a majority of the voting members of the Council.

             B.     The Council shall not engage in any campaign or  
                endorse public candidates in connection with that  
                representation.

             C.     The Council's actions shall be in accordance  
                with its constitution, bylaws, and policies and  
                procedures.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  7/26/10)

          Allied Council, Veterans' Home of California (source)

           OPPOSITION  :    (Verified  7/26/10)

          Department of Veterans Affairs

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the author's office  
          and sponsor this bill the Allied Council Veterans' Home of  
          California, this bill is needed to clarify the intent of  
          the Legislature to allow for the authorized member  
          organization within Veterans' Home of California to have a  
          complete voice to when speaking to the home administrator  







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          or the Legislature on policy issues.

           ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION  :    The Department of Veterans  
          Affairs contends that this bill creates tension between the  
          homes within the California Veterans Home system and also  
          creates unnecessary and competing advocacy groups between  
          the homes.  The department also contends that this bill  
          jeopardizes the smaller homes in the system and threatens  
          their equal voice to share their concerns.  
           
           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  : 
          AYES:  Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Bill  
            Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Blumenfield,  
            Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles  
            Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De  
            Leon, DeVore, Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher,  
            Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani,  
            Garrick, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill,  
            Huber, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lieu, Logue,  
            Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande,  
            Niello, Nielsen, Norby, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino,  
            Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio,  
            Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres, Torrico,  
            Tran, Villines, Yamada, John A. Perez
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Bass, Block, De La Torre, Gilmore,  
            Mendoza, Vacancy


          TSM:do  7/28/10   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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