BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                SB 419
                                                                Page  1


        SENATE THIRD READING
        SB 419 (Veterans Affairs Committee)
        As Amended July 16, 2009
        Majority vote

         SENATE VOTE  :37-0  
         
         VETERANS AFFAIRS    8-0                                          
         
         -------------------------------- 
        |Ayes:|Salas, Cook, DeVore,      |
        |     |Gilmore, Huber, V. Manuel |
        |     |Perez, Saldana, Yamada    |
         -------------------------------- 
         
        SUMMARY  :  Modifies findings and declaration that it is an efficient  
        and reasonable use of County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO)  
        Subvention Fund to increase the annual budget for CVSOs in an amount  
        not to exceed $11 million.  Specifically,  this bill  :  

         1)Changes the sunset date of this legislation from 2011 to 2016.
         
         2)Clarifies that the California Department of Veterans Affairs 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, on or before  
          January 1 of each year.
         
        3)Makes passage of this bill contingent upon the chaptering of  
          Senate Bill 418 of the 2009-10 Regular Session of the Legislature.  
         
         EXISTING LAW  finds and declares that 50% of the amount annually  
        budgeted for CVSOs is approximately $5 million, and that it is an  
        efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual  
        budget for CVSOs in an amount not to exceed $5 million.

         FISCAL EFFECT  :  None

         COMMENTS  :  CVSOs are a joint venture of different levels of  
        government to help veterans claim their benefits.  California has an  
        agreement with counties to pay 50% of the cost.  At the time the  
        agreement was made, 50% equaled $5 million and now that percentage  
        equals $11 million.









                                                                SB 419
                                                                Page  2

        The Veterans Affairs Committee states that this bill is clean-up  
        language for Military and Veterans Code, Section 972.1.  This bill  
        is intended to reflect half the present day cost of funding the  
        CVSOs, which is now $11 million. The state, through previous  
        legislation, committed to funding half the cost of the CVSO program.  

         
         Military and Veterans Code Section 972.1 still contains the $5  
        million figure.  Last year SB 1778 (Senate Veterans Affairs  
        Committee) was a consent calendar item but was vetoed by Governor  
        Schwarzenegger because of the Budget impasse.
         

        Analysis Prepared by  :    Eric Worthen / V. A. / (916) 319-3550 
                                                                 FN:  0002237