Department of Veterans Affairs: contracts: veterans service organizations.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist every veteran of the United States and the dependent or survivor of every veteran in presenting and pursuing various claims against the United States arising out of war service, and in establishing any rights under the laws of the United States or this state. Existing law authorizes the department to cooperate and, with the approval of the Department of Finance, to contract with any veterans service organization, as defined, to pursue claims before federal agencies, and, pursuant to the contract, the department is authorized to compensate any veterans service organization for services rendered by it to any veteran or dependent or survivor of a veteran. Existing law also makes legislative findings and declarations regarding the use of the General Fund to provide compensation to veterans service organizations for these services until an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers has been achieved. This bill would revise those legislative findings and declarations with regard to the use of General Fund moneys for that purpose until the annual budget for county veterans service officers reaches $5,000,000.