This measure would urge the Congress and President of the United States to permit states to extend burial and memorial benefits in state cemeteries to Republic of Korea veterans who served in the Vietnam War and who subsequently became United States citizens.
Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of each county to appoint a county veterans service officer to perform duties relating to the administration of benefits to veterans. Existing law authorizes the board to prescribe the qualifications of a county veterans service officer and fix the compensation of that officer. Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (department) annually to prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, including information on the number of veterans and their family members who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices and the benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of the county veterans service offices. This bill would require that a veterans service officer vacancy be filled within 12 months after the date of the vacancy and would require the appointee to obtain and maintain accreditation from the department, as specified, within 9 months after that appointment. The bill would additionally require the department to establish minimum training requirements for accreditation that would, among other things, improve public awareness of free disability claim resources and ensure proper data collection to track system improvements. The bill would also require the department, in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, by no later than January 1, 2029, to develop and implement a statewide work queue, as defined, for appointments, claims assistance, and other services provided to veterans. By increasing the duties on local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the department 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 a county that complies with certain conditions. This bill would require the department, in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, to develop a service capacity and performance framework to inform funding allocations for county veterans service offices. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature describing the proposed framework and its anticipated fiscal and operational impact, as specified. The bill would additionally require the department, by no later than January 1, 2029, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a report analyzing data regarding the configuration, structure, and operations of each county veterans service office and transmit the report, as specified, to the Legislature, the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, and the California Veterans Board. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, to create a standardized statewide digital survey platform to collect feedback from veterans for services provided at service offices. The bill would authorize the department to review, adopt, amend, or repeal guidelines or terms, or both guidelines and terms to implement these provisions and would exempt that review, adoption, amendment, or repeal from the Administrative Procedure Act. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs, which administers various programs that provide benefits to veterans, as defined. Existing law additionally establishes a statewide system of veterans' homes to provide room, board, and other services to eligible veterans and their spouses or domestic partners. Existing law establishes the Department of Motor Vehicles in the Transportation Agency and sets forth various powers and duties for the department, including prescribing and providing suitable forms of applications, certificates of ownership, registration cards, driver's licenses, and all other forms that are deemed necessary. This bill would require the Department of Motor Vehicles, in coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to provide mobile services to each resident at each California veterans' home at least once per calendar year. The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist by coordinating the scheduling, space, and outreach to residents to facilitate the provision of those services. For the purposes of these provisions, the bill would define "mobile services" as, among other things, issuance or renewal of driver's licenses and identification and Real ID application processing.
This House resolution honors California veterans and urges the federal government to speed up the processing of disability claims. It highlights that long wait times for these benefits can cause financial hardship and delay access to necessary medical care. The bill calls on Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs to reduce backlogs by improving staffing, increasing administrative efficiency, and modernizing their claims systems. Ultimately, it is a formal request for federal action rather than a law that changes state rules or allocates new funds.
Existing law establishes the University of California, administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits the campuses of those segments from charging mandatory systemwide tuition or fees to specified students who apply for a waiver, including a child of any veteran of the United States military who has a service-connected disability, has been killed in service, or has died of a service-connected disability, an undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or an undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor and who is no more than 27 years of age, if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would require the California State University and each community college district, and would request the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, commencing with the 2028–29 academic year, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to (1) a student who receives a fee waiver pursuant to the above-described provisions, and (2) a student who is using any federal GI Bill benefits. By requiring students to receive priority registration at community college districts, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs under the direction of the Director of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the administration of the various boards under its jurisdiction that license and regulate various professions and vocations. Existing law requires those boards to expedite, and authorizes them to assist, the initial licensure process for an applicant who supplies satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant has served as an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States and was honorably discharged. This bill would extend that requirement and authorization to also include members who were discharged or received a discharge solely as a result of a specified executive order. The bill would extend the requirement and authorization for the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, commencing June 1, 2027. The bill would make additional conforming changes. Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Veteran's Military Discharge Upgrade Grant Program to help fund service providers who, for free or at low cost, will educate veterans about discharge upgrades and assist veterans in filing discharge upgrade applications, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to prioritize veteran recipients of the services, such as prioritizing those who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation. This bill would instead require the program to help fund service providers who will educate veterans on the above-described services at no cost. The bill would additionally require the department to prioritize veteran recipients, regardless of discharge status, who are able to demonstrate that their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a behavioral health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate their characterization of service was connected to gender identity. This bill would additionally require the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Veteran's Housing and Supportive Services Grant Program to help fund service providers who, for at no cost, will provide housing supports for veterans. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program, and to prioritize veteran recipients, regardless of discharge status, who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a behavioral health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate their characterization of service was connected to gender identity.
The California Constitution provides that all property is taxable and requires that it be assessed at the same percentage of fair market value, unless otherwise provided by the California Constitution or federal law. The California Constitution and existing property tax law provide various exemptions from taxation, including, among others, a disabled veterans' exemption and a veterans' organization exemption. This bill would exempt from taxation, as provided, 50% of the full value of the property owned by, and that constitutes the principal place of residence of, a veteran, the veteran's spouse, or the veteran and the veteran's spouse jointly, if the veteran is 100% disabled. The bill would provide an unmarried surviving spouse a property exemption in the same amount that they would have been entitled to if the veteran were alive and if certain conditions are met. In the case of a disabled veteran or unmarried surviving spouse whose household income does not exceed a specified amount for the relevant assessment year, as prescribed, the bill would exempt 100% of the full value of the property from taxation. The bill would require certain documentation to be provided to the county assessor to receive the exemption and would prohibit any other real property tax exemption from being granted to the claimant if receiving the exemption provided by the provisions of this bill. The bill would make these exemptions applicable for property tax lien dates occurring on or after January 1, 2027, but occurring before January 1, 2032. By imposing additional duties on local tax officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill also would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. Existing law requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing federal law establishes eligibility requirements, including specified income eligibility standards, for receipt of CalFresh benefits. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, on or before April 1, 2027, to submit a request to the United States Department of Agriculture for a waiver to exclude the costs incurred by a veteran associated with the veteran's job search from countable income in the determination of eligibility and benefit level for receiving CalFresh benefits and to exempt specified veterans from the time limit and associated work requirements. The bill would require the waivers to be implemented within 6 months from their approval. To the extent the bill would expand the duties of counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law authorizes counties to participate in the CalFresh Employment and Training (CalFresh E&T) program, established by federal law, to provide work experience or training and job search training to CalFresh recipients. Existing law requires, in a county that elects to participate in the program, that a veteran applying for CalFresh benefits who is required to register to work, but who is exempt from mandatory placement in the CalFresh E&T program, be provided with specified referrals to veterans' assistance and job training agencies if those agencies are known to the county. This bill would require a county to provide those referrals to veterans' assistance and job training agencies whether or not the veteran applying for CalFresh benefits is exempt from mandatory placement in the CalFresh E&T program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law authorizes each county board of supervisors to appoint a county veterans service officer, and permits the county to provide the officer with any assistance and facilities that it determines to be necessary. 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. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, provide a stipend to counties that host an active United States military base for the purposes of maintaining a county veterans service officer, at least part time, at each active United States military base in the county, subject to base approval.
Existing law prohibits a video streaming service, as defined, that serves consumers in the state from transmitting the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the video content the advertisements accompany, as specified. This bill would clarify that video streaming service includes a user-generated video streaming service, and would additionally prohibit a music streaming service or podcast streaming service that serves consumers in the state from transmitting the audio of commercial advertisements louder than the content the advertisements accompany.
