Amended in Assembly April 22, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2263

Introduced by Assembly Member Bradford

February 21, 2014

An act to add begin delete Article 7 (commencing with Section 2696) to Chapter 4 of Title 1 of Part 3 end delete begin insert Sections 2695.1, 2695.2, 2695.3, and 2695.4 end insert to the Penal Code, relating to veterans.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2263, as amended, Bradford. Veterans service begin delete officers: end delete begin insert ombudsman: end insert correctional facilities.

Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is responsible for administering various programs and services for the benefit of veterans begin insert , and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to oversee the state prison system end insert . Existing law also authorizes each county board of supervisors to appoint a county veterans service officer to perform specified veterans-related services, including assisting veterans in pursuing claims for federal or state veterans’ benefits. begin insert Under existing law, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is required to develop guidance policies relative to the release of veterans who are inmates with the intent to assist veterans who are inmates in pursuing claims for federal veterans’ benefits, or in establishing rights to any other privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided under federal or state law because of honorable service in the military. In developing those policies, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is authorized to coordinate with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veterans service officer or veterans service organizations. end insert

This bill would require a begin delete parole agent to be appointed end delete begin insert staff member to serve end insert as a veterans service begin delete officer end delete begin insert ombudsman end insert at each facility that is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The veterans service begin delete officer end delete begin insert ombudsman end insert would be responsible for assisting inmates who are veterans in pursuing claims for veterans’ benefits, as specified. The bill would require the veterans service begin delete officer end delete begin insert ombudsman end insert to coordinate with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and county veterans service officers, as specified.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to help inmates
who have served in the military to access federal and state veterans’
benefits earned from military service so that those inmates are
better equipped to successfully reintegrate into the community,
thereby reducing costs to the state.

begin delete

SEC. 2.  

Article 7 (commencing with Section 2696) is added
to Chapter 4 of Title 1 of Part 3 of the Penal Code, to read:

 

Article 7.  Veterans Service Officers

 

2696.  

At each facility that is under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, there shall be a
parole agent who is appointed as a veterans service officer. For
purposes of this article, “veterans service officer” means the parole
agent appointed pursuant to this section.

2696.1.  

The veterans service officer is responsible for assisting
inmates who are veterans in pursuing claims for federal veterans’
benefits, or in establishing rights to any other privilege, preference,
care, or compensation provided under federal or state law because
of honorable service in the military. The veterans service officer
is authorized to appoint inmates who have served in the military
to assist with these responsibilities.

2696.2.  

The veterans service officer shall coordinate with the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs in order to provide
inmates who are veterans with the most efficient access to earned
veterans’ benefits.

2696.3.  

The veterans service officer shall coordinate with the
Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veterans service
officer in the county in which the facility is located for advice,
assistance, and training, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the
program.

end delete

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 2695.1 is added to the end insert begin insert Penal Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 2695.1. end insert   

At each facility that is under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, there shall be a
staff member who shall serve as a veterans service ombudsman.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 3. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 2695.2 is added to the end insert begin insert Penal Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 2695.2. end insert   

The ombudsman described in Section 2695.1 shall be
responsible for assisting inmates who are veterans, including, but
not limited to, facilitating access of inmates who are veterans to
county veterans service officers, United States Department of
Veterans Affairs and California Department of Veterans Affairs
officers and personnel, and facilitating access to the inmates who
are veterans by those officers and personnel, so that the inmates
who are veterans may pursue claims for federal veterans’ benefits
or any other privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided
under federal or state law because of service in the military.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 4. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 2695.3 is added to the end insert begin insert Penal Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 2695.3. end insert   

The ombudsman described in Section 2695.1 shall
coordinate with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
in order to provide inmates who are veterans with access to earned
veterans’ benefits.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 5. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 2695.4 is added to the end insert begin insert Penal Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 2695.4. end insert   

The ombudsman described in Section 2695.1 shall
coordinate with the California Department of Veterans Affairs
and the county veterans service officer in the county in which the
facility is located for advice, assistance, and training, and to
evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

end insert