BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 419
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   June 16, 2009

                       ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
                                  Mary Salas, Chair
               SB 419 (Committee on Veterans Affairs) - As Introduced:   
                                  February 26, 2009

           SENATE VOTE  :   37-0
           
          SUBJECT  :   County veteran service officers: funding.

          SUMMARY  :   This bill modifies findings and declaration that it  
          is an efficient and reasonable use of these funds to increase  
          the annual budget for county veteran service officers in an  
          amount not to exceed $11,000,000.  

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)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. 

          2)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. 

          3)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.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown.

           COMMENTS  :   County Veteran Service Officers (CVSO)s are a joint  
          venture of different levels of government to help veterans claim  
          their benefits.  California has an agreement with counties to  
          pay fifty percent of the cost.  At the time the agreement was  
          made, fifty percent equaled five million dollars and now that  
          percentage equals eleven million dollars.









                                                                  SB 419
                                                                  Page  2

          This author of this bill state that it is clean up language for  
          Military and Veterans Code Section 972.1.  The bill is intended  
          to change the number five million dollars to eleven million  
          dollars reflect present budget reality.  Fifty percent of costs  
          used to be five million dollars but is now eleven million  
          dollars.  This bill changes the number five to number eleven.
           
           Code section 972.1 still contains the five million dollar  
          figure.  Last year SB 1778 (Senate Veterans Committee) was a  
          consent calendar item but was vetoed by the governor because of  
          the budget impasse.




           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :

           Support 
           
          American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
          American Legion, Department of California
          AMVETS, Department of California

           Opposition 
           
          None on file.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Eric Worthen / V. A. / (916) 319-3550