Veterans homes.

Under existing law, veterans homes are for aged or disabled persons who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, who were discharged or released from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable, who are eligible for health care benefits, hospitalization, or domiciliary care in a veterans facility, and who are bona fide residents of this state at the time of application, and for the spouses or domestic partners of those persons, if, among other things, the spouses or domestic partners agree to pay the fees and charges for joint residency, and the joint residency is in the best interests of the home member, as determined by the home administrator. This bill would, for spouses and domestic partners, instead require that the veteran and the spouse or domestic partner will maintain joint residency in accordance with rules established by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Existing law prioritizes eligibility for the veterans homes to veterans who are recipients of the Medal of Honor or who were prisoners of war and to veterans who have been rated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as being 70% or greater service-connected disabled. This bill would specify that veterans rated as being 70% or greater service-connected disabled only receive priority over veterans who do not have priority due to receiving the Medal of Honor or having been a prisoner of war. Under existing law, providing false financial or other information is grounds for financial penalties or denial of admission to, or discharge from, a home. This bill would make the omission or falsification of financial, criminal, medical, or other information grounds for financial penalties or denial of admission to, or discharge from, a home.