BILL ANALYSIS
SB 469
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Date of Hearing: June 16, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Mary Salas, Chair
SB 469 (Aanestad) - As Amended: June 15, 2009
SENATE VOTE : 36-0
SUBJECT : Veterans' cemeteries: fees.
SUMMARY : Waives the fee for the interment of the spouses or
children of eligible veterans in a cemetery, if the cemetery
administrator determines that the families of the spouses or
children do not have sufficient means to pay for the costs of
interment.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Allows the board of supervisors of any county to grant
financial assistance, relief, and support to indigent
veterans. Such assistance, relief, and support shall be
administered through and by any military, naval, or marine
organization created for the purpose of aiding, relieving and
supporting such veterans under the terms and conditions set
forth in this article.
2)Directs any organization desiring to assist indigent veterans
to first file with the board of supervisors of the county in
which it is operating or intending to operate.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown.
COMMENTS : This bill would waive burial fees for veterans'
families who do not have "sufficient means to pay for the costs
of interment" and establish a non-state fund for the payment of
these costs. For 119 years California has required counties to
provide indigent veterans with a proper burial based on the
premise that those who served their country deserved better than
the anonymous obscurity of a mass grave that had been reserved
for criminals in past centuries.
Present reality is that poor or indigent veterans are forbidden
to be in a county pauper's grave but not necessarily allowed to
rest in eternity next to their shipmates, squad leaders, or
squadron leaders.
SB 469
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On Veterans' Day 2005, California opened its first veterans'
cemetery. Some families have been denied burial in the cemetery
because of an inability to pay burial fees.
The author believes that the law should be changed to include
all state veterans' cemeteries when providing for the internment
of veterans who's family have fiscal limitations.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Legion, Department of California
AMVETS, Department of California
Sons of the American Legion
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Eric Worthen / V. A. / (916) 319-3550