BILL ANALYSIS �
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de Le�n, Chair
AB 1509 (Fox) - Veterans
Amended: March 25, 2014 Policy Vote: VA 6-0
Urgency: No Mandate: No
Hearing Date: August 4, 2014
Consultant: Maureen Ortiz
This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill Summary: AB 1509 requires the Department of Veterans
Affairs to develop a transition assistance program for veterans.
Fiscal Impact:
Approximately $200,000 in one-time costs to develop the
program (General Fund)
The Department of Veterans Affairs indicates the need for two
limited term analysts (AGPAs) for development of the program.
Actual implementation costs are unknown at this time and will be
determined after the plan is completed.
Background: The Federal "Transition Assistance Program Goals,
Plans, and Success" (TGPS) Program, formerly known as the
Transition Assistance Program was created in 1990 to inform and
assist veterans in understanding their Department of Veterans
Affairs benefits. However, the federal program provides
information specific to the state where a veteran is immediately
ending his or her service, and not to the location of permanent
residence.
In 2011, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the
"Veterans Opportunity to Work and Hire Heroes Act of 2011" (VOW
Act). The VOW Act requires, among other things, that separating
service members must attend the Transition Assistance Program
(TAP). A partnership among the Departments of Defense (DOD),
Veterans Affairs (VA) and Labor (DOL), the TAP program provided
job assistance and separation counseling services on military
installations. The program included information and counseling
for pre-separation, employment assistance, relocation, education
and training, health and life insurance, finances, Reserve
AB 1509 (Fox)
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affiliation, disabled Veterans, and retirement.
Proposed Law: AB 1509 requires the Department of Veterans
Affairs to develop a transition assistance program for veterans
who have been discharged from the Armed Forces of the United
States or the National Guard of any state.
The program will be designed to complement the transition
program offered by the Department of Defense and will assist
veterans in successfully transitioning from military to civilian
life. The program will include the following
California-specific transition assistance information:
a) Higher education benefits and programs;
b) Vocational training assistance;
c) Small business resources;
d) Health care programs and services;
e) Mental health resources;
f) Military sexual trauma resources; and,
g) Housing information.
AB 1509 contains Legislative Intent that the department utilize
its existing personnel and other resources, including its
existing internet-based CalVet Internet Web site to disseminate
this information.
Staff Comments: The majority of separating service members who
intend to live in California are discharged from various
military bases located across the country. These individuals
are currently not informed about state-specific benefits that
are provided in California during the federal transition
assistance program.
Recommended Amendments: Staff recommends moving the Legislative
Intent on page 2, lines 37-40, to an uncodified section of the
bill in order to maintain uniformity and clarity within the
code.
AB 1509 (Fox)
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