SB 989, as introduced, Galgiani. Veteran services: state agencies and departments.
Under existing law, the Department of Veterans Affairs has specified powers and duties relating to veterans.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Veterans Affairs enter into memoranda of understanding or interagency agreements with other state agencies and departments, as specified, to ascertain the veteran status of all persons receiving services, benefits, or assistance from those state agencies and departments, as provided. This bill authorize that the Employment Development Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles to, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, make available in their field offices brochures, forms, and posters in order to inform veterans of benefits and services. This bill also would require the Employment Development Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles to collect and send any voluntarily completed forms to the Department of Veterans Affairs on at least a quarterly basis, and to add a link to their Internet Web sites that will direct parties to the Department of Veterans Affairs Internet Web site.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 722 is added to the Military and Veterans
2Code, to read:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
4(1) The United States Department of Veterans Affairs spent
5$7.1 billion in California in federal fiscal year 2008, $3.1 billion
6of which was for compensation and pension payments to veterans.
7These compensation and pension payments are directly paid to
8veterans and generate a significant contribution to California’s
9economy.
10(2) Unfortunately, only approximately 11 percent of veterans
11who are eligible in California participate in these programs.
12California ranks 38th nationally in terms of participation rates. On
13a per capita basis, Texas and Florida collect 44 percent and 31
14percent more respectively in disability benefits
than California.
15This difference is primarily due to Texas and Florida having more
16veterans’ services representatives available to assist veterans in
17pursuing benefit claims.
18(3) It is estimated that if California could increase the
19participation rate to the national average of slightly over 12 percent,
20over $330 million more could be returned to the state and local
21economy and paid to our resident veterans who need that money
22to support themselves and their families.
23(4) County veteran service officers and veterans service
24organizations have assumed the primary responsibility to assist
25veterans in accessing these federal benefits, but the funding for
26this valuable service is scarce. Consequently, the California
27Department of Veterans Affairs and other state agencies and
28departments, as well as local government agencies, that come into
29regular contact with veterans and National
Guard members
30returning from deployment must do a better job informing resident
31veterans and their dependents of their eligibility for these benefits
32so that veterans and their dependents can enroll and begin the
33application process sooner.
34(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department enter
35into memoranda of understanding or interagency agreements with
36other state agencies or departments, as selected by the department,
37to ascertain the veteran status of all persons receiving services,
38benefits, or assistance from those state agencies and departments.
P3 1(c) The Employment Development Department and the
2Department of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the department,
3may make available in their field offices brochures, forms, and
4posters in order to inform veterans of available benefits and
5services. The Employment Development Department and the
6Department of Motor
Vehicles shall collect and send voluntarily
7completed forms to the department on at least a quarterly basis
8and add a link to their Internet Web sites that directs parties to the
9department’s Internet Web site.
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