BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 882
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 882 (Cook)
As Amended May 27, 2011
Majority vote
VETERANS AFFAIRS 9-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Cook, Pan, Atkins, Block, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, |
| |Knight, Nielsen, V. | |Blumenfield, Bradford, |
| |Manuel P�rez, Williams, | |Charles Calderon, Campos, |
| |Yamada | |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, |
| | | |Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| | | |Mitchell, Nielsen, Norby, |
| | | |Solorio, Wagner |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : This bill establishes the County Veteran Service
Center Pilot Program. Specifically, this bill :
1)Establishes a pilot project in four counties for the purposes
of collaborating with the Employment Development Department in
order to more effectively achieve increased compensation and
pension benefit claims for veterans.
2)Requires that the Department of Veterans Affairs (Department)
and the Employment Development Department enter into
agreements with the four counties in order to establish the
project after a determination that services to be provided
could improve the delivery of services and benefits to veteran
and aid veterans in obtaining benefits.
3)This bill sunsets on January 1, 2016 unless extended by
another statute.
FISCAL EFFECT : According the Assembly Appropriations Committee,
minor costs, likely less than $100,000 per year for
administrative expenses.
COMMENTS :
California has the largest veteran population in the nation,
comprised of an estimated 2 million veterans. Each month,
AB 882
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thousands of military personnel are released from active service
and face tremendous challenges transitioning back into civilian
life. The challenges military veterans face are compounded by a
complex system of veteran assistance programs that is difficult
to navigate. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
expended approximately $6 billion in California in the 2005
federal fiscal year. Of that amount, $2.66 billion dollars was
in disability payments (compensation and benefits) to veterans.
The states that have the largest veteran populations in the
nation are California, Florida, and Texas. Texas veterans have
collected 44% more disability benefits than the amount collected
by California veterans. Increasing just disability benefit
participation in California in an amount that would approach the
national average could generate an additional $330 million in
annual payments to California veterans.
The pilot project brings the EDD, the Department, and the
counties to the table to collaborate in order to more
effectively address veterans' needs and to create a single
location for veterans to access services and benefits. This
approach is logical and benefits veterans because if the project
is successful they only have to visit one place to get
assistance. Furthermore, the project may promote sufficient
change/improvement such that more sweeping changes in overall
structure are not indicated. Pilot projects, however, take
time, money and effort to implement and may be especially
challenging in a time of increasing demand for services and
budget challenges.
Analysis Prepared by : John Spangler / V. A. / (916) 319-3550
FN: 0001040