BILL NUMBER: SB 419	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Veterans Affairs (Senators Denham
(Chair), Cedillo, Correa, Maldonado, Negrete McLeod, Wiggins, and
Wyland)

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to amend Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 419, as introduced, Committee on Veterans Affairs. County
veteran service officers: funding.
   Existing law authorizes each county board of supervisors to
appoint a county veteran service officer, and permits the county to
provide the officer with any assistance and facilities that it
determines to be necessary. Existing law requires the Department of
Veterans Affairs to disburse funds, appropriated to the department
for the purpose of supporting county veteran service officers
pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties
that comply with certain conditions. Existing law finds and declares
that 50% of the amount annually budgeted for county veteran service
officers is approximately $5,000,000, and that it is an efficient and
reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for
county veteran service officers in an amount not to exceed
$5,000,000.
   This bill would make changes to those findings and declarations by
declaring that 50% of the amount annually budgeted for county
veteran service officers is approximately $11,000,000.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as
amended by Section 1 of Chapter 138 of the Statutes of 2004, is
amended to read:
   972.1.  (a) The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 1989-90 fiscal year, for
purposes of funding the activities of county veteran service officers
pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall
be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
   (b) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis
to counties that have established and maintain a county veteran
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veteran service officer under a formula based upon
performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs for these purposes.
   (c) The department shall annually determine the amount of new or
increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal
government attributable to the assistance of county veteran service
officers. The department shall on or before January 1, prepare and
transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the
Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance
shall review the department's determination in time to use the
information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department
for the next fiscal year.
   (d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the
amount annually budgeted for county veteran service officers is
approximately  five   eleven  million
dollars  ($5,000,000)   ($11,000,000)  .
The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient
and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for
county veteran service officers in an amount not to exceed 
five   eleven  million dollars 
($5,000,000)  ($11,000,000)  if it is justified by
the monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
effort of these officers.
   (2) It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the
department's determination in subdivision (c), to consider an
increase in the annual budget for county veteran service officers in
an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the
monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase
in the budget.
   (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2011, and as of that date is repealed.
  SEC. 2.  Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code, as
amended by Section 146 of Chapter 22 of the Statutes of 2005, is
amended to read:
   972.1.  (a) The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is
hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 1989-90 fiscal year, for
purposes of funding the activities of county veteran service officers
pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall
be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
   (b) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis
to counties that have established and maintain a county veteran
service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of
each county veteran service officer under a formula based upon
performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in
any fiscal year for county veteran service officers in an amount not
less than the amount allocated in the 1988-89 fiscal year.
   (c) The department shall annually determine the amount of new or
increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal
government attributable to the assistance of county veteran service
officers. The department shall on or before January 1, prepare and
transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the
Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance
shall review the department's determination in time to use the
information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department
for the next fiscal year.
   (d) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the
amount annually budgeted for county veteran service officers is
approximately  five   eleven  million
dollars  ($5,000,000)   ($11,000,000)  .
The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient
and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for
county veteran service officers in an amount not to exceed 
five   eleven  million dollars 
($5,000,000)   ($11,000,000)  if it is justified by
the monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
effort of these officers.
   (2) It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the
department's determination in subdivision (c), to consider an
increase in the annual budget for county veteran service officers in
an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the
monetary benefits to the state's veterans attributable to the
assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase
in the budget.
   (e) This section shall become operative January 1, 2011.