BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 629
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 26, 2011

                       ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
                                 Paul J. Cook, Chair
                    AB 629 (Monning) - As Amended:  April 4, 2011
           
          SUBJECT  :   California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery at Fort 
          Ord ("Cemetery")

           SUMMARY  :  This bill authorizes the California Department of 
          Veterans Affairs ("Department") to subcontract the Cemetery 
          design and construction to the Fort Ord Reuse Authority 
          ("FORA.")

           EXISTING LAW:  Under existing law the design and construction of 
          the Cemetery will be done by the Department of General Services 
          ("DGS").

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown.

           COMMENTS  :   The former Fort Ord site is the subject of reuse and 
          redevelopment plans by FORA.  One portion of the former site is 
          planned as the Cemetery and has been so dedicated for 
          approximately 10 years, however, little progress has been made.  
          In order to get the Cemetery started, private donations must 
          fully fund the Cemetery design and planning costs in the form of 
          an endowment (the "Endowment").  After the Endowment is funded 
          sufficiently to design and plan the Cemetery, the balance of its 
          costs for construction will be paid by the U.S. Department of 
          Veterans Affairs.  

          The current cost estimate of the necessary design funding 
          (Preliminary Plans and Working Drawings) for the Endowment is 
          $2,090,000 if DGS were to oversee the Cemetery project, as will 
          occur without this bill.  If the Department is allowed pursuant 
          to this bill to subcontract this project to FORA, the cost 
          estimate for that same portion of the project is $1,531,380. The 
          difference in the cost of design fees between FORA and DGS is 
          $558,620.00.  This is both a substantial savings and a large 
          reduction in the money needed to fund the Endowment.  Having a 
          smaller "threshold" amount needed to fund the Endowment should 
          make it easier to get the Cemetery started.

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   









                                                                  AB 629
                                                                  Page  2

           Support 
           
          None on file.

           Opposition 
           
          None on file.
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550