California Assembly Bill AB589 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 589AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 1, 2009 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 4, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Cook (Coauthors: Assembly Members DeVore, Gilmore, Salas, Saldana, and Yamada) FEBRUARY 25, 2009 An act to add Section 3073.5 to the Penal Code, relating to veterans. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 589, as amended, Cook. Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: contracts: county veterans service officers: incarcerated veterans. Existing law requires a county  veteran   veterans  service officer to assist every veteran of any war of the United States and the dependents of every deceased veteran in presenting and pursuing any claim the veteran may have against the United States and in establishing the veteran's right to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the laws of the United States or of this state. This bill would allow the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or a local law enforcement agency to contract with county veterans  services   service  officers in the county where the state or local correctional facility is located to assist an incarcerated  honorably discharged  veteran, as defined, and the veteran's dependents in presenting and pursuing any claims, as specified, and in establishing the veteran's and dependent's right to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the laws of the United States or of this state. This bill would authorize the department or local enforcement agency to, pursuant to the contract, compensate a county veterans service officer for the assistance provided  , as specified. The bill provide that no more than 6 correctional facilities, as designated by the department, may be the subject of these contracts  . Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 3073.5 is added to the Penal Code, to read: 3073.5. (a) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or a local law enforcement agency may contract with county veterans service officers in the county where the state or local correctional facility is located to assist an incarcerated  honorably discharged  veteran and the veteran's dependents in presenting and pursuing claims as the veteran and dependent may have against the United States arising out of war service and in establishing the veteran's and dependent's right to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the laws of the United States or of this state. The department or local enforcement agency may, pursuant to the contract, compensate a county veterans service officer for the assistance provided  at a rate of no more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) annually  .  (b) No more than six correctional facilities, as designated by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, may be the subject of contracts entered into pursuant to subdivision (a).   (b)   (c)  For purposes of this section, "incarcerated  honorably discharged from the United States military forces veteran" includes any veteran described under Section 1170.9 who has been honorably discharged.   veteran" means a veteran described in Section 920 of the Military and Veterans Code who is incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility, but does not include a veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or who has a bad conduct discharge.