BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �






                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS
                              LOU CORREA, CHAIRMAN
                                             


          Bill No:        SB 1198
          Author:         Calderon
          Version:        As Introduced February 22, 2012
          Hearing Date:   April 10, 2012
          Fiscal:         Yes
          Consultant:     Donald E. Wilson




                                 SUBJECT OF BILL  
          
          Publicity of benefit programs for homeless veterans  
           
                                   PROPOSED LAW  
           
           To help homeless veterans:

          Requires the California Department of Veterans Affairs 
          (CDVA) to publicize certain programs, including a) the 
          veterans federal pension program, b) the state's Veterans 
          Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers, and c) Cal Fresh (food 
          stamps).

          Requires publicizing through a) printed material, such as 
          flyers and posters, b) on the department's web site, c) in 
          any informational material distributed through the CalVet 
          Home Loan program, and d) through any other method "the 
          department determines would publicize and create awareness 
          to homeless veterans".  

          This bill would also require the information to state that 
          veterans may receive help from County Veteran Service 
          Officers (CVSO).
                                         
                          EXISTING LAW AND BACKGROUND  
          
          1.  There has been a dramatic decrease on paper in the 
          number of homeless veterans in California.  It was believed 
          that the number was around 55,000; however, due to double 
          (and maybe triple) counting it was determined that there 









          are about 29,500 homeless veterans in California.

          2.  Despite the recent dramatic decrease advocates point 
          out that 30,000 is still too many and that with returning 
          veterans who are denied care for traumatic brain injury 
          (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Advocates 
          also believe that the number of homeless veterans is about 
          to increase.

          3.  The United States Department of Veterans Affairs 
          (USDVA) runs a veterans pension program for wartime 
          veterans aged 65 or older who have limited or no income.

          4.  The US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) agency runs 
          a veterans affairs supportive housing program known as HUD 
          VASH.

          5.  The State of California runs a food stamp program now 
          known as Calfresh.


                                     COMMENT  
          1.  Section B-4 of this bill states the department "shall" 
          use "Any other method that the department determines would 
          publicize and create awareness to homeless veterans about 
          the benefit programs available to them."  Obviously 
          television and radio commercials would create awareness, 
          but there is no appropriation in this bill.  Is the 
          department expected to take those advertising dollars out 
          of its existing budget? 


                                     SUPPORT
                                         
          National Association of Social Workers - California Chapter

                                      OPPOSE  
          None received






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