Amended in Senate April 22, 2014

Senate Bill No. 989

Introduced by Senator Galgiani

February 12, 2014

An act to add Section 722 to the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 989, as amended, 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 begin insert would end insert authorize begin delete that end delete the Employment Development begin delete Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles to end delete begin insert Department end insert , in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, begin insert to end insert make available in begin delete their end delete begin insert its end insert field offices brochures, forms, and posters in order to inform veterans of benefits and services. This bill also would require the Employment Development Department begin delete and the Department of Motor Vehicles end delete 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 begin delete their end delete begin insert its end insert Internet Web begin delete sites end delete begin insert site end insert 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 1.  

Section 722 is added to the Military and Veterans
Code, to read:

722.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) The United States Department of Veterans Affairs spent
$7.1 billion in California in federal fiscal year 2008, $3.1 billion
of which was for compensation and pension payments to veterans.
These compensation and pension payments are directly paid to
veterans and generate a significant contribution to California’s
economy.

(2) Unfortunately, only approximately 11 percent of veterans
who are eligible in California participate in these programs.
California ranks 38th nationally in terms of participation rates. On
a per capita basis, Texas and Florida collect 44 percent and 31
percent more respectively in disability benefits than California.
This difference is primarily due to Texas and Florida having more
veterans’ services representatives available to assist veterans in
pursuing benefit claims.

(3) It is estimated that if California could increase the
participation rate to the national average of slightly over 12 percent,
over $330 million more could be returned to the state and local
economy and paid to our resident veterans who need that money
to support themselves and their families.

(4) County veteran service officers and veterans service
organizations have assumed the primary responsibility to assist
veterans in accessing these federal benefits, but the funding for
this valuable service is scarce. Consequently, the California
Department of Veterans Affairs and other state agencies and
departments, as well as local government agencies, that come into
regular contact with veterans and National Guard members
returning from deployment must do a better job informing resident
veterans and their dependents of their eligibility for these benefits
so that veterans and their dependents can enroll and begin the
application process sooner.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department enter
into memoranda of understanding or interagency agreements with
other state agencies or departments, as selected by the department,
to ascertain the veteran status of all persons receiving services,
benefits, or assistance from those state agencies and departments.

(c) The Employment Development begin delete Department and the
Department of Motor Vehicles end delete begin insert Department end insert , in consultation with
the department, may make available in begin delete their end delete begin insert its end insert field offices
brochures, forms, and posters in order to inform veterans of
available benefits and services. The Employment Development
Department begin delete and the Department of Motor Vehicles end delete shall collect
and send voluntarily completed forms to the department on at least
a quarterly basis and add a link to begin delete their end delete begin insert its end insert Internet Web begin delete sites end delete begin insert site end insert
that directs parties to the department’s Internet Web site.