BILL NUMBER: AB 2561	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Veterans Affairs

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to amend Section 1457 of the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to military and veterans, and making an appropriation
therefor.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2561, as introduced, Committee on Veterans Affairs. Veterans'
cemeteries.
   Existing law provides for the design, development, and
construction of a state-owned and state-operated veterans' cemetery
at the site of the former Fort Ord. Existing law establishes the
California Central Coast State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Ord
Endowment Fund, which is available upon appropriation by the
Legislature for design, construction, and maintenance costs of the
cemetery. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
to accept donations to be used for the maintenance or beautification
of the veterans' cemetery. Existing law further requires that those
donations be deposited in the endowment fund.
   This bill would establish the California Central Coast Veterans
Cemetery Project Donation Fund, and would require that donations for
the cemetery be deposited in the fund, and be expended for the
maintenance and repair of the cemetery or for a specified veterans
cemetery maintenance or beautification project. This bill would
continuously appropriate the fund to the department for these
purposes.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1457 of the Military and Veterans Code is
amended to read:
   1457.  (a) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code,
the veterans cemetery administrator may, subject to the approval of
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, accept donations of personal
property, including cash or other gifts, to be used for the
maintenance or beautification of the veterans cemetery.
   (b) Donations in the form of cash shall be deposited in the
 Endowment Fund   California Central Coast
Veterans Cemetery Project Donation Fund, which is hereby created in
the State Treasury,  and shall be expended for the maintenance
and repair of the veterans cemetery or for a specified veterans
cemetery maintenance or beautification project designated by the
 donor, upon appropriation by the Legislature.  
donor.  
   (c) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code,
donations deposited to the credit of the California Central Coast
Veterans Cemetery Project Donation Fund as authorized by this section
shall be continuously appropriated to the department, without regard
to fiscal year.