BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 557
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 26, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
Paul J. Cook, Chair
AB 557 (J.A. Perez) - As Introduced: February 16, 2011
SUBJECT : Veterans: National Guard: California Interagency
Council on Veteran Services and Programs.
SUMMARY : This bill creates the California Interagency Council
on Veteran Services and Programs, bringing together key
stakeholders with the goal that the state's veterans service
programs are administered and integrated with maximum efficacy
and efficiency.
EXISTING LAW: This bill adds a new section to the Military and
Veterans code as: SECTION 1. Article 8.3 (commencing with
Section 999.90), Chapter 6 of Division 4.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown.
COMMENTS : California is home to more than 2 million veterans,
representing 9 percent of the total U.S. veteran population.
Furthermore as the Nation draws down military presence in the
Middle East, California is on the verge of experiencing the
return of thousands of servicemembers who will need to be
reintegrated back into the workforce and the community, an
estimated 30,000 annual discharges from the active military,
many of whom will be at increased risk of joblessness and
unemployment, PTSD and mental health issues, homelessness, and
suicide.
This bill implements one of the primary findings from a 2009
audit by the Bureau of State Audits (the "Audit") of the
California Department of Veterans Affairs (Department). The
Audit found that the Department provides few direct services to
veterans (outside of its operation of six veteran homes and the
CalVet home loan program) and that the Department has limited
interaction and few formal agreements with other state agencies
and departments that could provide additional services to
veterans if done so in a coordinated and efficient manner. The
Department has made efforts to improve in this area as evidenced
by recent MOUs with various stakeholders. However, the Auditor
recommended that Department adopt a more systematic process for
identifying and prioritizing the entities with which the
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Department collaborates in order to adequately identify the
service providers and stakeholders that could assist the
Department in its efforts to increase veterans' awareness of
available benefits and programs.
Another key finding from the Audit confirmed that California's
veterans participate in federal disability and pension benefits
at rates that are significantly lower than those in other states
with large veteran populations. Of the $7.1 billion spent by
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in California
in federal fiscal year 2008, $3.15 billion was in disability
compensation and pension payments to veterans. These disability
payments are direct to the veterans and generate a significant
contribution to California's economy, averaging (according to
the Audit) about $9,800 annually for each veteran receiving
benefits. Unfortunately, the Auditor estimated that only 12.86
% of eligible veterans in California participate in these
programs, which trails the national average of 13.94%. This is
also significantly lower than that of other states with large
veteran populations such as Texas and Florida, which have
participation rates of 16.73% and 14.88%, respectively.
California's Legislative Analyst's Office estimated that if
California could increase its participation rate to the national
average, $220 million in benefit payments could be returned to
the state and local economy and paid to our resident veterans
and who need that money to support themselves and their
families.
According to the author:
ÝT]his legislation has been introduced to establish the
California Interagency Council on Veteran Services and Programs,
which among other duties, would bring together key state
agencies and departments, federal officials, legislative
representatives, local governments and stakeholder organizations
to ensure that the state's programs that serve veterans are
efficiently administered and properly integrated with federal
and local programs. Budget cuts to CVSO's and to other state
outreach efforts necessitates even greater collaboration and
coordination amongst government and non-government stakeholders,
which the establishment of this council would assist with and
support. Areas of emphasis will include: maximizing the use of
federal funding available to support veteran programs; veteran
housing and homelessness; mental health services; employment and
job training; and increasing the state's participation rate in
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collecting federal veteran disability compensation and pension
benefits.
This bill creates a forum and a structure, bringing together
those stakeholders who are involved in programs that serve
veterans and is in alignment with the recommendation of the
Audit for a more systematic process for identifying and
prioritizing the Department's collaborative efforts . It is
reasonable to conclude that the Council will at the least
promote communication and coordination between the stakeholders
who work with and support veterans. It will also provide a
single place where interested parties and the public may reach
multiple veterans service providers/stakeholders at once. The
meeting frequency of the Council decreases over time as
foundational efforts are completed; it is not unduly burdensome
on the participants.
Author's Amendments: The author has expressed an interest in
amending the bill:
1. To include the California Department of Corrections as a
member of the Council
2. To set as chair of the Council the Secretary of the
Department; and
3. To add any co-authors who wish to be added to the bill.
Related Legislation: AB 1569 (2009, Committee on Veterans
Affairs) This bill would have created a similar council but did
not pass through the Senate.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support:
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Department of
California
Veterans Village of San Diego
American Legion-Department of California
AMVETS-Department of California
California Association of Veterans Service Officers
California Association of Veteran Service Agencies
California State Commanders Veterans Council
Military Officers Association of America, California Council of
Chapters
Vietnam Veterans of America-California State Council
United States Veterans Initiative
AB 557
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Vietnam Veterans of California, Inc.
New Directions, Inc.
Swords to Plowshares
Opposition:
None.
Analysis Prepared by : John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550