BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2784
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2784 (Veterans Affairs Committee)
As Amended August 17, 2010
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |76-0 |(June 2, 2010) |SENATE: |33-1 |(August 23, |
| | | | | |2010) |
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Original Committee Reference: V.A.
SUMMARY : Increases the size of the California Veterans Board
(Board) to nine members. Specifically, this bill :
1)Prohibits the Secretary of California Department of Veterans
Affairs (CDVA) from recommending any policy change that would
modify any veterans' program without first fully briefing the
Board.
2)Provides that "program" also refers to any other program or
service offered or delivered to veterans by another state
agency or department.
3)Encourages the Governor, when making the appointments to the
Board, to consider a veteran with specific expertise in women
veterans' mental and physical health issues.
4)Requires that two of the board members be female.
The Senate amendments remove from this bill references to
specific military campaigns and add a requirement that two of
the board members shall be female.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill would increase the size of
the Board to nine members, and would require two of the members
to have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring
Freedom.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, costs are minor and absorbable.
COMMENTS : In 1946, the California Legislature established the
Board. As authorized by the Military and Veterans Code, the
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Board determines the policies for all operations of CDVA. In
addition, the Board is responsible for hearing the appeals of
veterans for whom CDVA has denied services, and approving
interest rate changes for Cal-Vet Home Loan Program. The Board
has also defined its mission to include ensuring that California
veterans, who it indicates number more than 2.1 million, and
their dependents are treated fairly and are given access to all
available information about benefits authorized by state law,
including quality residential facilities for veterans. Finally,
the Board interfaces with state veterans' organizations to share
the Governor's veteran-related public policy positions with the
veterans living in California and to inform the Governor of
veterans' viewpoints and concerns.
Members volunteer their time on the Board and serve four-year
terms, except for the member residing at one of the Veterans
Homes of California (Veterans Homes), who serves for two years.
The state law on Board membership and composition has changed
five times beginning in 1996, and the most recent change made in
September 2002. These changes define the types of expertise the
Legislature expects from veterans sitting on the Board.
The members of the Board select a chairperson to lead the board
through its business. The Board created nine select committees
to facilitate its ability to conduct normal Board business.
With one or two Board members on its staff, each select
committee analyzes specific issues on behalf of the Board and
recommends actions for the Board to approve.
Previous amendments to this bill added language supporting
legislative findings that were a part of the report issued by
the California Research Bureau, California State Library in
August of 2009, titled "California's Women Veterans: Challenges
and Needs of Those Who Served." The changing make up of the
military dictates a need for gender specific expertise. The
United States Department of Veterans Affairs projects the number
of women veterans throughout the United States to grow to 14% in
the next 20 years. Women veterans in California and nationally
are both younger and more racially and ethnically diverse than
their male counterparts.
Analysis Prepared by : Eric Worthen / V. A. / (916) 319-3550
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FN: 0006347