BILL NUMBER: AB 629	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 4, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Monning

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2011

   An act to amend Section  80   1450.1  of
the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 629, as amended, Monning.  Military and veterans.
  Veterans cemetery.  
   Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs, in
voluntary cooperation with the Board of Supervisors of the County of
Monterey, the City of Seaside, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, and
local agencies to design, develop, and construct the California
Central Coast Veterans Cemetery at Fort Ord, as specified. The State
Contract Act requires projects that are not under the jurisdiction of
specified departments to be under the charge and control of the
Department of General Services.  
   This bill would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to
enter into an agreement with the Fort Ord Reuse Authority for the
veterans cemetery project to be under the sole charge and direct
control of the authority.  
   Under existing law the Department of Veterans Affairs has
specified powers and duties relating to military veterans, and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs is in charge of the department.
 
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes and correct
an obsolete reference. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


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

   SECTION 1.    Section 1450.1 of the  
Military and Veterans Code   is amended to read: 
   1450.1.  (a) Pursuant to this chapter, the department, in
voluntary cooperation with the Board of Supervisors of the County of
Monterey, the City of Seaside, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, and
surrounding counties, cities, and local agencies, shall design,
develop, and construct the state-owned and state-operated veterans
cemetery, which shall be located on the site of the former Fort Ord.
   (b) The department shall oversee and coordinate the design,
development, construction, and equipping of the veterans cemetery.
   (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the design of the
veterans cemetery closely follows the concepts published in the
California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery Fort Ord Development
Master Plan as prepared for the Monterey County Redevelopment Agency.

   (d) Notwithstanding Section 10107 of the Public Contract Code, and
as authorized by Section 67679 of the Government Code, in fulfilling
the requirements of subdivision (a), the department may enter into
an agreement with the Fort Ord Reuse Authority for the project under
subdivision (a) to be under the sole charge and direct control of the
veterans cemetery public works project.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 80 of the Military and
Veterans Code is amended to read:
   80.  The secretary may employ subject to law such expert,
technical, legal, clerical, and other employees as the secretary
deems necessary to carry out his or her powers and duties and except
as expressly otherwise provided in Section 71, the secretary shall be
the sole appointing authority for the department for all positions.
Whenever possible preference shall be given to veterans for
employment in the department.