BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2151
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   March 28, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

               AB 2151 (Halderman) - As Introduced:  February 23, 2012

          Policy Committee:                              
          AppropriationsVote: 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill appropriates $26.1 million from the GF to the 
          California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) to provide 
          funding to open and operate soon-to-be completed veterans' homes 
          in Fresno and Redding. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Appropriates $26.1 million (GF). 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . Construction of the Fresno and Redding homes is 
            scheduled to be completed this April. The 2011-12 budget 
            initially contained about $12 million to open these homes, but 
            the opening was delayed due to budget constraints. The 
            proposed 2012-13 budget once again delays the opening of the 
            two homes and contains no funding to open these homes in the 
            budget year. 

            The proposed appropriation of $26.1 million represents the 
            cost of preparing the homes for accepting residents in January 
            2013. The annual cost of operating the homes will be about $48 
            million for Fresno and $27 million for Redding. Of these 
            amounts, about 75% will be GF, though this percentage does 
            fluctuate.  

           2)Background  . The state operates six homes (2,420 beds) for 
            veterans in addition to the homes under construction in Fresno 
            (300 beds) and Redding (150 beds). According to the CDVA, the 
            homes are residential care facilities offering medical, 








                                                                  AB 2151
                                                                  Page  2

            dental, pharmacy, rehabilitation services and social 
            activities within a homelike, small community environment. The 
            homes range in size from 60 residents on a 20 acre site to 
            over 1,000 residents on 500 acres. Veterans who are California 
            residents over age 55 and discharged from active military 
            service under honorable conditions, are eligible to apply for 
            admission. The age requirement is waived for disabled or 
            homeless veterans needing long-term care. 

            Homes are located in Yountville (1,100 beds); Barstow (400); 
            Chula Vista (400); West L.A. (400); Ventura (60) and Lancaster 
            (60).


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