BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1806
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 9, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     AB 1806 (Cook) - As Amended:  March 26, 2012

          Policy Committee:                              Veterans 
          AffairsVote: 8-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          Yes    Reimbursable:  Yes

           SUMMARY  

          This bill:

          1)Requires a county public administrator to report all unclaimed 
            remains to the county veteran service officer (CVSO). The CVSO 
            shall determine whether any unclaimed remains are those of a 
            veteran or the dependent of a veteran. 

          2)Allows the release of the remains of a veteran or dependent of 
            a veteran to specified veterans' remains organizations after 
            45 days, rather than one year.

          3)Requires the CVSO who determines that unclaimed remains are 
            those of a veteran or a dependent of a veteran, and that the 
            remains meet the criteria for interment by a veterans' remains 
            organization to report the name, rank, branch, and dates of 
            service of the person
             to the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA).

          4)Requires CDVA to maintain a list of those unclaimed remains, 
            and make that list available to veterans' remains 
            organizations by phone or in person.
           
           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)Unknown, likely minor reimbursable costs for county 
            administrators to report unclaimed remains to CVSOs.

          2)Minor absorbable costs to CDVA to maintain a list of unclaimed 
            remains and make the list available to veterans' 
            organizations. 








                                                                  AB 1806
                                                                  Page  2


           COMMENTS  

           Rationale  . Current law authorizes an entity in possession of the 
          cremated remains of veterans or their dependents to release the 
          remains to a "veterans' remains organization" if unclaimed for 
          at least one year. There is no requirement that public 
          administrators report or CVSOs make inquiries to determine 
          whether an unclaimed body is that of a veteran or the dependent 
          of a veteran, and there is no statewide list of the unclaimed 
          remains of veterans and veterans' dependents that can be 
          consulted by veterans' remains organizations. 

          The author and proponents, veterans' groups, contend the absence 
          of any a requirement that holders the remains inquire about 
          veteran/dependent status, coupled with the lack of a single 
          statewide list could lead to many veterans' remains remaining 
          unclaimed.   

          The author states that veterans have earned specified burial 
          benefits as a result of honorably serving their country and that 
          this bill will help identify veterans' remains. 


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081