BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �






                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
                              LOU CORREA, CHAIRMAN
                                             


          Bill No:        AB 2548
          Author:         Mitchell
          Version:        As amended April 11, 2012
          Hearing Date:   June 12, 2012
          Fiscal:         Yes
          Consultant:     Donald E. Wilson


          REVISED ANALYSIS
          
                                 SUBJECT OF BILL  
          California Veterans Board  
           
                                   PROPOSED LAW  
           
           1.  Make a seat on the veterans' board specific to issues 
          facing female veterans.

                                         
                          EXISTING LAW AND BACKGROUND
                                         
             1.   In 1946 the legislature created the Veterans' Board 
               to set the policies of CDVA.

             2.   Members of the board are required to be veterans.

             3.   The Veterans' Board is to set the policy of the 
               department according the Military and Veterans' Code 
               (MVC) section 72.  "The California Veterans' Board 
               shall determine the policies for all operations of the 
               department."

             4.   The structure of the board within the department 
               allows for veterans with knowledge of veterans issues 
               to set policy rather than bureaucrats who may or may 
               not be aware of issues affecting veterans.

             5.   Assembly Bill 2933 of 2000 (Assembly Veterans' 
               Affairs Committee) created MVC Code 66.5 and required 
               that one of the seats on the board was to be filled by 
               an individual with expertise in real estate mortgages 









               and another seat to be filled by an individual with 
               expertise in senior health care.  

             6.   Senate Bill 1858 of 2002 (Knight) amended MVC Code 
               66.5 and required one seat to be filled by an 
               individual with an accounting or auditing background.

             7.   In 2004 the governor attempted to consolidate power 
               within the executive branch by abolishing the 
               Veterans' Board as part of the California Performance 
               Review (CPR) proposal.  The proposal would have 
               eliminated much of the State Senate's oversight 
               through its confirmation of appointees.

             8.   This committee authored SB 1387 in 2011 to add an 
               expertise in hospital administration to the board 
               considering that CDVA will soon administer an 
               eight-home system.  SB 1387 is currently in Assembly 
               Appropriations Committee.
                                         
                                    COMMENT
                                         
          1.  The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) is 
          one of the few departments set up to be run by the people 
          who are most affected by its decisions.  CDVA was set up to 
          be run by veterans for veterans.  This bill seeks add a 
          seat on the veterans board that will be able to address the 
          issues faced by female veterans when CDVA makes policy 
          decisions.


                                     SUPPORT  
          
          American Legion, Department of California
          AMVETS, Department of California
          California Association of County Veterans Service Officers
          California State Commanders Veterans Council
          Vietnam Veterans of America, California State Council

                                      OPPOSE  
          
          None received



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