Department of Veterans Affairs: reporting requirements.

Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to disburse funds, appropriated to the department for the purpose of supporting county veterans service officers pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties that comply with certain conditions. Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to annually determine the amount of new or increased monetary benefits paid to eligible veterans by the federal government attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers, and requires the department to prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature on or before January 1 of each year. This bill would extend the January 1 date specified above to October 1. Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to annually prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, as specified, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. This bill would revise the reporting requirements of the Department of Veterans Affairs to include the number of veterans and their family members who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year, the number of claims filed to achieve benefits on behalf of veterans and their dependents, the annualized monetary value of benefits received, and a summary of services provided and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, as specified.