California Assembly Bill AB1509 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1509AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 19, 2014 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 25, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fox (Coauthors: Assembly Members  Brown     and Quirk-Silva   Brown,   Chesbro,   Quirk-Silva,   Wieckowski,   and Yamada  )  (   Coauthors:   Senators   Berryhill   and Cannella   )  JANUARY 14, 2014 An act to add Section 90 to the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1509, as amended, Fox. Veterans: transition assistance. Existing law establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is responsible for administering various programs and services for the benefit of veterans. This bill would require, by July 1, 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a transition assistance program for veterans who have been discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state, as specified. The bill would require the program to include certain California-specific transition assistance information.  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. The Legislature finds and declares the following: (a) California veterans should receive ample  resources and information   information and resources  to assist their transition into civilian life. Though California is home to nearly 1.9 million veterans, California veterans utilize fewer benefits than their peers at the national level. Further, 50 percent of  post 9/11   post-9/11  veterans experience difficulty transitioning to civilian life and are experiencing higher rates of disabilities than previous generations of veterans. Young  post 9/11   post-9/11  veterans also experience higher unemployment rates than their civilian counterparts. (b) The  Federal "Transition Assistance Program   federal Transition  Goals, Plans and  Success"   Success  (TGPS)  Program,   program,  formerly known as the Transition Assistance Program, was created in 1990 to inform and assist veterans in understanding their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. However, TGPS workshops provide information specific to the state where a veteran is immediately ending his or her service and not to the location of permanent residence. Veterans who were planning to move to California after their service do not receive information about how to best coordinate their VA benefits with existing California benefits. A  California specific   California-specific  transition assistance program would ensure that all veterans residing in California receive the resources and information they need to successfully transition into civilian life.  (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Veterans Affairs utilize its existing personnel and other resources, including its existing CalVet Internet Web site, to disseminate California-specific transition assistance information developed pursuant to Section 90 of the Military and Veterans Code, as added by Section 2 of this act. It is also the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Veterans Affairs utilize the work and research produced by the California Interagency Council on Veterans Employment CAL TAP Sub-Workgroup.  SEC. 2. Section 90 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read: 90.  (a)    By July 1, 2015, the  Department of Veterans Affairs   department  shall develop a transition assistance program for veterans who have been discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state. The program shall be designed to assist veterans in successfully transitioning from military to civilian life in California and to complement the transition program offered by the  United States  Department of Defense. The program shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following California-specific transition assistance information: higher education benefits and program information, vocational training assistance, small business resources and information, health care programs and services, mental health resources and information, military sexual trauma (MST) resources and information, and housing information.  (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department utilize its existing personnel and other resources, including its existing internet-based CalVet Internet Web site, to disseminate this information.