BILL ANALYSIS �
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
SB 842 (Rubio)
Hearing Date: 5/23/2011 Amended: 5/11/2011
Consultant: Maureen Ortiz Policy Vote: VA: 5-0 Ed: 7-1
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 842 requires the Department of Veterans
Affairs (DVA) to develop and maintain a program for the issuance
of identification cards to members of the military and family as
specified, and requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
to process the application forms and issue the ID cards. Upon
the receipt of an identification card, the spouses, domestic
partners and dependents of all non-citizen military personnel
will be eligible for benefits from CalWORKs, In-Home Supportive
Services, Medi-Cal, the general assistance program, and the
California Food Assistance Program. Further, SB 842 urges the
Regents of the University of California to provide an exemption
from non-resident tuitions for qualified undocumented families
of noncitizens members of the military.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Fund
DVA ----unknown, potentially
multi-millions annually---- General
DMV $13,000
$4,200 $4,200 Special*
Cal WORKS ------potentially $250 million
annually------ General
IHSS benefits -------potentially $1 million
annually------- General
General Assistance ------unknown, potentially
multi-million annually--General**
*Motor Vehicle Fund **Reimbursable Local Mandate
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STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral to the
Suspense file.
SB 842 provides that any individual who is the spouse or
domestic partner, or dependent natural or adopted child or
stepchild, of a member of the Armed Forces of the U.S. stationed
SB 842 (Rubio)
Page 3
in this state who is, or was, on active duty at any time on or
after January 1, 1991 shall be eligible to apply for and receive
state and local public social services, regardless of that
individual's immigration status.
It should be noted that the Department of Veterans Affairs
administers services for California veterans such as the Cal-Vet
Home Loan Program, administering Veterans Homes throughout the
state, and assisting veterans in securing other state and
federal benefits. DVA, therefore, does not have any contact
with existing active military personnel and is not the likely
entity for developing the identification cards, whereby the
Military Department would be a more suitable authority.
According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, there are
approximately 9,200 noncitizen members of the Armed Forces
residing in California. The number of individuals eligible
under this bill could be significantly higher since it applies
to any member of the military who was on active duty on or after
January 1, 1991 . The fiscal estimates noted above are based
upon approximately 37,000 individuals qualifying for the
residency identification cards and social program benefits which
include spouses, domestic partners, and dependents.
Specifically, SB 842 does the following:
1) Requires the DVA to develop and maintain a program for the
issuance of identification cards to an eligible person who is
the spouse, domestic partner, or dependent child of a member or
veteran of the armed services of the United States, or the
California National Guard
2) Specifies that possession of the California residency
identification card will be prima facie evidence that the person
is a California resident for purposes of entitlement to any
state or local benefit for which that person may be otherwise
eligible.
3) Requires the DMV, in consultation with the DVA, to develop
an application form with instructions, and to be responsible for
the distribution, the collection, and the processing of the
forms
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4) Requires each DMV office to provide forms to persons seeking
to obtain a California residency identification card, process
completed applications, and transmit the forms to the DVA for
review and determination of eligibility. The DMV office will
issue the card after review by the DVA.
5) Requires the DVA to develop appropriate protocols that will
be used by it and the DMV including protocols to confirm the
accuracy of information on the application.
6) Provides that any individual who is the spouse or domestic
partner, or dependent natural or adopted child or stepchild, of
a member of the Armed Forces of the U.S. stationed in this state
who is, or was, on active duty at any time on or after January
1, 1991 shall be eligible to apply for and receive state and
local public social services, regardless of that individual's
immigration status.
7) Defines "state and local public social services" as any
welfare, health, disability, food assistance, or similar benefit
for which payments or assistance is provided to an individual,
household, or family assistance unit by an agency of the state
or a local government.
Specifically, "state and local public social services" includes
the CalWORKs program, the In-Home Supportive Services program,
the Medi-Cal, the general assistance program, and the California
Food Assistance Program.
In addition, SB 842 requests the University of California to
establish the same requirements for exemption from payment of
nonresident tuition for students enrolled at the University of
California as those currently provided for dependents of
qualifying members of the military.