CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2688Introduced by Assembly Member CervantesFebruary 20, 2020 An act to amend Section 974 of, and to repeal and add Section 972.1 of, the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 2688, as introduced, Cervantes. Veterans: veterans service officers.Existing law permits the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans and the dependent or survivor of a veteran with presenting and pursuing claims against the federal government arising out of military service and establishing rights to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the federal government or the state. County veteran service officers are appointed by county officials to assist veterans, dependents, and survivors in presenting and pursuing claims. Existing law requires the department to disburse funds, appropriated to the department pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance developed by the department. The department is required to submit an annual report on the activities of county veteran service officers to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.This bill would appropriate $11,000,000 on July 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, from the General Fund to the department for allocation to counties for county veterans service officers based upon a workload unit performance formula to be developed by the department. This bill would also require the department to develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of appropriated funds. Finally, this bill would require the department to submit the annual report of county veterans service officer activities by November 15 of each year, and to include the new performance metrics within the report.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.Digest Key Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Since 2001, the Global War on Terrorism has created a new generation of veterans who may be eligible for federal veteran benefits because of their wartime service and their resulting service connected disabilities.(b) Californians make up to 10 percent of the federal military forces used in these conflicts. Furthermore, the California National Guard and California-based reserve units have contributed significantly to these current conflicts at levels unheard of in prior eras.(c) In addition to this new generation of veterans, the needs of prior generations of veterans change as those veterans age, whether by age-related changes or long-term effects from their service, resulting in additional need for assistance in accessing their benefits throughout their lifetimes.(d) Many of the more than 20,000 veterans returning to California annually are not aware of how to access the federal and state benefits that are available to them. Furthermore, many veterans from prior eras are not aware that they may still be eligible for state and federal veteran benefits despite the time that has passed since their discharge from service.(e) Californias county veteran service officers, and their staffs of trained professional veteran service representatives are the initial local point of contact for claimants accessing veteran benefits through both the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the State of California.(f) Californias veteran benefits delivery model is similar to other states and relies on a close partnership between the California Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veteran services officers who are the boots on the ground and who act as the distributed network for outreach, education, and claim initiation and development.(g) A California Department of Veterans Affairs report to the Legislature in 2007 titled Strategies to Improve Californias Utilization of Veteran Benefits noted that Californias veteran benefit utilization lagged behind Florida and Texas, states with comparable veteran populations, as well as lagging behind utilization rates nationwide. The report substantiated that California could increase federal benefit utilization by putting more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(h) A review of benefit utilization over several fiscal years shows a direct correlation between increased state funding for new hires and increased utilization of federal veteran benefits by Californias veterans. While early history shows California lagging behind Florida, Texas and the nation as a whole, recent history clearly shows that California was able to exceed the utilization rates of both Florida and the nation but still lags behind Texas. This improvement has been attributed to the last significant increase in state funding for county veteran service officers which allowed some counties to hire additional veteran service representatives. Even with those new hires California still lags behind Texas where there are proportionally more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(i) Estimates show that by improving Californias benefit utilization to the same utilization rate as Texas, in particular by targeting funding to additional veteran service representatives, California could connect approximately 30,000 additional veterans to monetary benefits and bring in an additional $500 million per year to the states economy.(j) The cost of maintaining county veterans service officers are shared from county general funds and state reimbursement to the counties. In 1997, in order to track performance, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 608, which required the California Department of Veterans Affairs to annually report the amount of monetary benefits paid to veterans by the federal government that were attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. Senate Bill 608 also required the Department of Finance to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers of up to $5 million, if approved in the annual budget process. In 2009, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 419, which raised this amount to $11 million, if approved in the annual budget process. These dollar amounts represented approximately 50 percent of the total cost to operate county veteran services offices statewide in the respective years.(k) As a result of this annual reporting, by the end of 2016, it was determined that from 1995 to 2016, inclusive, the state had cumulatively appropriated $58.2 million from the General Fund for its share of the cost of the county veterans service officers. As a result of this investment, county veterans service officers were able to assist local veterans in obtaining $5.4 billion in new federal moneys. This is a return of about $93 for every $1 the state allocates to county veterans service officers. Furthermore, due to the nature of the annual reporting, the $5.4 billion only reflects the incremental monetary benefits in a given year, not the cumulative amount for ongoing benefits. The incremental monetary benefits reported in prior years cannot be tracked, yet the veterans and their dependents often continue to receive those benefits for the rest of their lives. Added to this stellar return on the states investment, but also not counted in the annual reporting, are the Medi-Cal cost avoidance savings incurred as a result of county veterans service officers qualifying and shifting veterans away from Medi-Cal and into the appropriate federal veterans program.(l) County veterans service officers accomplished all of this without ever reaching the statutory goal of $11 million in state funding, set in 2009. To date, county veterans service officers have not received more than $5.6 million per year from the states General Fund.(m) It is critical that the county veterans service officers receive a steady stream of funding as there continues to be a large number of underserved veterans and dependents who are not aware of the federal and state benefits available to them as a result of their military service or how to access them. Studies which looked at states with similar populations and veteran service operations show that higher staffing at county veterans service offices results in larger amounts of federal moneys to veterans, both in the aggregate and to the individual veteran. Other independent studies show that by using trained professional veteran service representatives when applying for benefits the claimants receive higher, more comprehensive awards.(n) These federal monetary benefits are paid directly from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to the qualifying veterans or their dependents and have a positive, multiple factor, impact on the state and local economies.(o) Current regulations limit each countys allocation of these funds to 50 percent of that countys annual expenditures. If these regulations remain in place, high performing small and mid-sized counties will be disadvantaged. It is the intent of the Legislature that these regulations be changed so that allocation of funds is based primarily upon performance, under a formula using workload units as defined in the legislation. In order to avoid penalizing high performing small and mid-size counties, it is the desire of the Legislature that arbitrary percent of expenditure limits currently imposed in regulations, as related to these funds, be abolished.SEC. 2. Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code is repealed.972.1.(a)The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 198990 fiscal year, for purposes of funding the activities of county veterans service officers pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.(b)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not less than the amount allocated in the 198889 fiscal year.(c)The department shall 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. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the departments determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.(d)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the amount annually budgeted for county veterans service officers is approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.(2)It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the departments determination in subdivision (c), to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase in the budget.(e)This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.SEC. 3. Section 972.1 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:972.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers.(b) (1) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with this article, under a formula based upon workload unit performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall maintain a database of each countys 201920 fiscal year county veterans service office expenditures to be used as a baseline for comparison to future years expenditures. Each county must certify in advance of receiving funds appropriated by this section that any increase in the countys allocation resulting from this appropriation will only be used to expand the operations of its county veteran service office. The department shall review implementation of this requirement during its annual audit of county veterans service offices by comparing current year expenditures to the baseline expenditures.(3) For the purposes of this section, workload unit means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.(c) The department, in consultation with county veterans services officers, shall develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of these funds. Metrics shall include, but not be limited to:(1) The number of veterans and the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of contacts who initiated claims activities or were referred to other direct services or benefits.(3) The monetary value of benefits obtained through the efforts of the county veterans services office.(4) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(5) Demographics of the claimants served, including, but not limited to, era, age, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, and number of clients seeking assistance with special interest claims, including, but not limited to, military sexual trauma, mental health, or environmental exposures.(6) Office staffing levels broken down by veteran service representatives and support staff with percent change since the baseline year established in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). SEC. 4. Section 974 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read:974. (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually shall, on or before November 15 of each year, prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall include the following:(1) The number of veterans and their the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans service offices, broken down by type of benefit.(4) Other performance metrics developed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 972.1.(4)(5) A summary of other services provided by county veterans service offices and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, such as veterans outreach events, homeless veteran Stand Downs, and job fairs for veterans.(b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide total.(c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.SEC. 5. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order to provide for uninterrupted continuity of services critical to the successful reintegration of Californias veterans, to increase Californias utilization of veteran benefits at the earliest possible time, and to ensure veterans claims for benefits are processed in a timely manner, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2688Introduced by Assembly Member CervantesFebruary 20, 2020 An act to amend Section 974 of, and to repeal and add Section 972.1 of, the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 2688, as introduced, Cervantes. Veterans: veterans service officers.Existing law permits the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans and the dependent or survivor of a veteran with presenting and pursuing claims against the federal government arising out of military service and establishing rights to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the federal government or the state. County veteran service officers are appointed by county officials to assist veterans, dependents, and survivors in presenting and pursuing claims. Existing law requires the department to disburse funds, appropriated to the department pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance developed by the department. The department is required to submit an annual report on the activities of county veteran service officers to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.This bill would appropriate $11,000,000 on July 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, from the General Fund to the department for allocation to counties for county veterans service officers based upon a workload unit performance formula to be developed by the department. This bill would also require the department to develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of appropriated funds. Finally, this bill would require the department to submit the annual report of county veterans service officer activities by November 15 of each year, and to include the new performance metrics within the report.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.Digest Key Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2688
Introduced by Assembly Member CervantesFebruary 20, 2020
Introduced by Assembly Member Cervantes
February 20, 2020
An act to amend Section 974 of, and to repeal and add Section 972.1 of, the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2688, as introduced, Cervantes. Veterans: veterans service officers.
Existing law permits the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans and the dependent or survivor of a veteran with presenting and pursuing claims against the federal government arising out of military service and establishing rights to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the federal government or the state. County veteran service officers are appointed by county officials to assist veterans, dependents, and survivors in presenting and pursuing claims. Existing law requires the department to disburse funds, appropriated to the department pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance developed by the department. The department is required to submit an annual report on the activities of county veteran service officers to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.This bill would appropriate $11,000,000 on July 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, from the General Fund to the department for allocation to counties for county veterans service officers based upon a workload unit performance formula to be developed by the department. This bill would also require the department to develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of appropriated funds. Finally, this bill would require the department to submit the annual report of county veterans service officer activities by November 15 of each year, and to include the new performance metrics within the report.This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing law permits the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans and the dependent or survivor of a veteran with presenting and pursuing claims against the federal government arising out of military service and establishing rights to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the federal government or the state. County veteran service officers are appointed by county officials to assist veterans, dependents, and survivors in presenting and pursuing claims. Existing law requires the department to disburse funds, appropriated to the department pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata basis, to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance developed by the department. The department is required to submit an annual report on the activities of county veteran service officers to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.
This bill would appropriate $11,000,000 on July 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, from the General Fund to the department for allocation to counties for county veterans service officers based upon a workload unit performance formula to be developed by the department. This bill would also require the department to develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of appropriated funds. Finally, this bill would require the department to submit the annual report of county veterans service officer activities by November 15 of each year, and to include the new performance metrics within the report.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Since 2001, the Global War on Terrorism has created a new generation of veterans who may be eligible for federal veteran benefits because of their wartime service and their resulting service connected disabilities.(b) Californians make up to 10 percent of the federal military forces used in these conflicts. Furthermore, the California National Guard and California-based reserve units have contributed significantly to these current conflicts at levels unheard of in prior eras.(c) In addition to this new generation of veterans, the needs of prior generations of veterans change as those veterans age, whether by age-related changes or long-term effects from their service, resulting in additional need for assistance in accessing their benefits throughout their lifetimes.(d) Many of the more than 20,000 veterans returning to California annually are not aware of how to access the federal and state benefits that are available to them. Furthermore, many veterans from prior eras are not aware that they may still be eligible for state and federal veteran benefits despite the time that has passed since their discharge from service.(e) Californias county veteran service officers, and their staffs of trained professional veteran service representatives are the initial local point of contact for claimants accessing veteran benefits through both the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the State of California.(f) Californias veteran benefits delivery model is similar to other states and relies on a close partnership between the California Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veteran services officers who are the boots on the ground and who act as the distributed network for outreach, education, and claim initiation and development.(g) A California Department of Veterans Affairs report to the Legislature in 2007 titled Strategies to Improve Californias Utilization of Veteran Benefits noted that Californias veteran benefit utilization lagged behind Florida and Texas, states with comparable veteran populations, as well as lagging behind utilization rates nationwide. The report substantiated that California could increase federal benefit utilization by putting more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(h) A review of benefit utilization over several fiscal years shows a direct correlation between increased state funding for new hires and increased utilization of federal veteran benefits by Californias veterans. While early history shows California lagging behind Florida, Texas and the nation as a whole, recent history clearly shows that California was able to exceed the utilization rates of both Florida and the nation but still lags behind Texas. This improvement has been attributed to the last significant increase in state funding for county veteran service officers which allowed some counties to hire additional veteran service representatives. Even with those new hires California still lags behind Texas where there are proportionally more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(i) Estimates show that by improving Californias benefit utilization to the same utilization rate as Texas, in particular by targeting funding to additional veteran service representatives, California could connect approximately 30,000 additional veterans to monetary benefits and bring in an additional $500 million per year to the states economy.(j) The cost of maintaining county veterans service officers are shared from county general funds and state reimbursement to the counties. In 1997, in order to track performance, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 608, which required the California Department of Veterans Affairs to annually report the amount of monetary benefits paid to veterans by the federal government that were attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. Senate Bill 608 also required the Department of Finance to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers of up to $5 million, if approved in the annual budget process. In 2009, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 419, which raised this amount to $11 million, if approved in the annual budget process. These dollar amounts represented approximately 50 percent of the total cost to operate county veteran services offices statewide in the respective years.(k) As a result of this annual reporting, by the end of 2016, it was determined that from 1995 to 2016, inclusive, the state had cumulatively appropriated $58.2 million from the General Fund for its share of the cost of the county veterans service officers. As a result of this investment, county veterans service officers were able to assist local veterans in obtaining $5.4 billion in new federal moneys. This is a return of about $93 for every $1 the state allocates to county veterans service officers. Furthermore, due to the nature of the annual reporting, the $5.4 billion only reflects the incremental monetary benefits in a given year, not the cumulative amount for ongoing benefits. The incremental monetary benefits reported in prior years cannot be tracked, yet the veterans and their dependents often continue to receive those benefits for the rest of their lives. Added to this stellar return on the states investment, but also not counted in the annual reporting, are the Medi-Cal cost avoidance savings incurred as a result of county veterans service officers qualifying and shifting veterans away from Medi-Cal and into the appropriate federal veterans program.(l) County veterans service officers accomplished all of this without ever reaching the statutory goal of $11 million in state funding, set in 2009. To date, county veterans service officers have not received more than $5.6 million per year from the states General Fund.(m) It is critical that the county veterans service officers receive a steady stream of funding as there continues to be a large number of underserved veterans and dependents who are not aware of the federal and state benefits available to them as a result of their military service or how to access them. Studies which looked at states with similar populations and veteran service operations show that higher staffing at county veterans service offices results in larger amounts of federal moneys to veterans, both in the aggregate and to the individual veteran. Other independent studies show that by using trained professional veteran service representatives when applying for benefits the claimants receive higher, more comprehensive awards.(n) These federal monetary benefits are paid directly from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to the qualifying veterans or their dependents and have a positive, multiple factor, impact on the state and local economies.(o) Current regulations limit each countys allocation of these funds to 50 percent of that countys annual expenditures. If these regulations remain in place, high performing small and mid-sized counties will be disadvantaged. It is the intent of the Legislature that these regulations be changed so that allocation of funds is based primarily upon performance, under a formula using workload units as defined in the legislation. In order to avoid penalizing high performing small and mid-size counties, it is the desire of the Legislature that arbitrary percent of expenditure limits currently imposed in regulations, as related to these funds, be abolished.SEC. 2. Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code is repealed.972.1.(a)The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 198990 fiscal year, for purposes of funding the activities of county veterans service officers pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.(b)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not less than the amount allocated in the 198889 fiscal year.(c)The department shall 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. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the departments determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.(d)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the amount annually budgeted for county veterans service officers is approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.(2)It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the departments determination in subdivision (c), to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase in the budget.(e)This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.SEC. 3. Section 972.1 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:972.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers.(b) (1) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with this article, under a formula based upon workload unit performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall maintain a database of each countys 201920 fiscal year county veterans service office expenditures to be used as a baseline for comparison to future years expenditures. Each county must certify in advance of receiving funds appropriated by this section that any increase in the countys allocation resulting from this appropriation will only be used to expand the operations of its county veteran service office. The department shall review implementation of this requirement during its annual audit of county veterans service offices by comparing current year expenditures to the baseline expenditures.(3) For the purposes of this section, workload unit means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.(c) The department, in consultation with county veterans services officers, shall develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of these funds. Metrics shall include, but not be limited to:(1) The number of veterans and the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of contacts who initiated claims activities or were referred to other direct services or benefits.(3) The monetary value of benefits obtained through the efforts of the county veterans services office.(4) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(5) Demographics of the claimants served, including, but not limited to, era, age, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, and number of clients seeking assistance with special interest claims, including, but not limited to, military sexual trauma, mental health, or environmental exposures.(6) Office staffing levels broken down by veteran service representatives and support staff with percent change since the baseline year established in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). SEC. 4. Section 974 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read:974. (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually shall, on or before November 15 of each year, prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall include the following:(1) The number of veterans and their the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans service offices, broken down by type of benefit.(4) Other performance metrics developed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 972.1.(4)(5) A summary of other services provided by county veterans service offices and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, such as veterans outreach events, homeless veteran Stand Downs, and job fairs for veterans.(b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide total.(c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.SEC. 5. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order to provide for uninterrupted continuity of services critical to the successful reintegration of Californias veterans, to increase Californias utilization of veteran benefits at the earliest possible time, and to ensure veterans claims for benefits are processed in a timely manner, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Since 2001, the Global War on Terrorism has created a new generation of veterans who may be eligible for federal veteran benefits because of their wartime service and their resulting service connected disabilities.(b) Californians make up to 10 percent of the federal military forces used in these conflicts. Furthermore, the California National Guard and California-based reserve units have contributed significantly to these current conflicts at levels unheard of in prior eras.(c) In addition to this new generation of veterans, the needs of prior generations of veterans change as those veterans age, whether by age-related changes or long-term effects from their service, resulting in additional need for assistance in accessing their benefits throughout their lifetimes.(d) Many of the more than 20,000 veterans returning to California annually are not aware of how to access the federal and state benefits that are available to them. Furthermore, many veterans from prior eras are not aware that they may still be eligible for state and federal veteran benefits despite the time that has passed since their discharge from service.(e) Californias county veteran service officers, and their staffs of trained professional veteran service representatives are the initial local point of contact for claimants accessing veteran benefits through both the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the State of California.(f) Californias veteran benefits delivery model is similar to other states and relies on a close partnership between the California Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veteran services officers who are the boots on the ground and who act as the distributed network for outreach, education, and claim initiation and development.(g) A California Department of Veterans Affairs report to the Legislature in 2007 titled Strategies to Improve Californias Utilization of Veteran Benefits noted that Californias veteran benefit utilization lagged behind Florida and Texas, states with comparable veteran populations, as well as lagging behind utilization rates nationwide. The report substantiated that California could increase federal benefit utilization by putting more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(h) A review of benefit utilization over several fiscal years shows a direct correlation between increased state funding for new hires and increased utilization of federal veteran benefits by Californias veterans. While early history shows California lagging behind Florida, Texas and the nation as a whole, recent history clearly shows that California was able to exceed the utilization rates of both Florida and the nation but still lags behind Texas. This improvement has been attributed to the last significant increase in state funding for county veteran service officers which allowed some counties to hire additional veteran service representatives. Even with those new hires California still lags behind Texas where there are proportionally more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(i) Estimates show that by improving Californias benefit utilization to the same utilization rate as Texas, in particular by targeting funding to additional veteran service representatives, California could connect approximately 30,000 additional veterans to monetary benefits and bring in an additional $500 million per year to the states economy.(j) The cost of maintaining county veterans service officers are shared from county general funds and state reimbursement to the counties. In 1997, in order to track performance, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 608, which required the California Department of Veterans Affairs to annually report the amount of monetary benefits paid to veterans by the federal government that were attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. Senate Bill 608 also required the Department of Finance to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers of up to $5 million, if approved in the annual budget process. In 2009, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 419, which raised this amount to $11 million, if approved in the annual budget process. These dollar amounts represented approximately 50 percent of the total cost to operate county veteran services offices statewide in the respective years.(k) As a result of this annual reporting, by the end of 2016, it was determined that from 1995 to 2016, inclusive, the state had cumulatively appropriated $58.2 million from the General Fund for its share of the cost of the county veterans service officers. As a result of this investment, county veterans service officers were able to assist local veterans in obtaining $5.4 billion in new federal moneys. This is a return of about $93 for every $1 the state allocates to county veterans service officers. Furthermore, due to the nature of the annual reporting, the $5.4 billion only reflects the incremental monetary benefits in a given year, not the cumulative amount for ongoing benefits. The incremental monetary benefits reported in prior years cannot be tracked, yet the veterans and their dependents often continue to receive those benefits for the rest of their lives. Added to this stellar return on the states investment, but also not counted in the annual reporting, are the Medi-Cal cost avoidance savings incurred as a result of county veterans service officers qualifying and shifting veterans away from Medi-Cal and into the appropriate federal veterans program.(l) County veterans service officers accomplished all of this without ever reaching the statutory goal of $11 million in state funding, set in 2009. To date, county veterans service officers have not received more than $5.6 million per year from the states General Fund.(m) It is critical that the county veterans service officers receive a steady stream of funding as there continues to be a large number of underserved veterans and dependents who are not aware of the federal and state benefits available to them as a result of their military service or how to access them. Studies which looked at states with similar populations and veteran service operations show that higher staffing at county veterans service offices results in larger amounts of federal moneys to veterans, both in the aggregate and to the individual veteran. Other independent studies show that by using trained professional veteran service representatives when applying for benefits the claimants receive higher, more comprehensive awards.(n) These federal monetary benefits are paid directly from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to the qualifying veterans or their dependents and have a positive, multiple factor, impact on the state and local economies.(o) Current regulations limit each countys allocation of these funds to 50 percent of that countys annual expenditures. If these regulations remain in place, high performing small and mid-sized counties will be disadvantaged. It is the intent of the Legislature that these regulations be changed so that allocation of funds is based primarily upon performance, under a formula using workload units as defined in the legislation. In order to avoid penalizing high performing small and mid-size counties, it is the desire of the Legislature that arbitrary percent of expenditure limits currently imposed in regulations, as related to these funds, be abolished.
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Since 2001, the Global War on Terrorism has created a new generation of veterans who may be eligible for federal veteran benefits because of their wartime service and their resulting service connected disabilities.(b) Californians make up to 10 percent of the federal military forces used in these conflicts. Furthermore, the California National Guard and California-based reserve units have contributed significantly to these current conflicts at levels unheard of in prior eras.(c) In addition to this new generation of veterans, the needs of prior generations of veterans change as those veterans age, whether by age-related changes or long-term effects from their service, resulting in additional need for assistance in accessing their benefits throughout their lifetimes.(d) Many of the more than 20,000 veterans returning to California annually are not aware of how to access the federal and state benefits that are available to them. Furthermore, many veterans from prior eras are not aware that they may still be eligible for state and federal veteran benefits despite the time that has passed since their discharge from service.(e) Californias county veteran service officers, and their staffs of trained professional veteran service representatives are the initial local point of contact for claimants accessing veteran benefits through both the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the State of California.(f) Californias veteran benefits delivery model is similar to other states and relies on a close partnership between the California Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veteran services officers who are the boots on the ground and who act as the distributed network for outreach, education, and claim initiation and development.(g) A California Department of Veterans Affairs report to the Legislature in 2007 titled Strategies to Improve Californias Utilization of Veteran Benefits noted that Californias veteran benefit utilization lagged behind Florida and Texas, states with comparable veteran populations, as well as lagging behind utilization rates nationwide. The report substantiated that California could increase federal benefit utilization by putting more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(h) A review of benefit utilization over several fiscal years shows a direct correlation between increased state funding for new hires and increased utilization of federal veteran benefits by Californias veterans. While early history shows California lagging behind Florida, Texas and the nation as a whole, recent history clearly shows that California was able to exceed the utilization rates of both Florida and the nation but still lags behind Texas. This improvement has been attributed to the last significant increase in state funding for county veteran service officers which allowed some counties to hire additional veteran service representatives. Even with those new hires California still lags behind Texas where there are proportionally more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.(i) Estimates show that by improving Californias benefit utilization to the same utilization rate as Texas, in particular by targeting funding to additional veteran service representatives, California could connect approximately 30,000 additional veterans to monetary benefits and bring in an additional $500 million per year to the states economy.(j) The cost of maintaining county veterans service officers are shared from county general funds and state reimbursement to the counties. In 1997, in order to track performance, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 608, which required the California Department of Veterans Affairs to annually report the amount of monetary benefits paid to veterans by the federal government that were attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. Senate Bill 608 also required the Department of Finance to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers of up to $5 million, if approved in the annual budget process. In 2009, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 419, which raised this amount to $11 million, if approved in the annual budget process. These dollar amounts represented approximately 50 percent of the total cost to operate county veteran services offices statewide in the respective years.(k) As a result of this annual reporting, by the end of 2016, it was determined that from 1995 to 2016, inclusive, the state had cumulatively appropriated $58.2 million from the General Fund for its share of the cost of the county veterans service officers. As a result of this investment, county veterans service officers were able to assist local veterans in obtaining $5.4 billion in new federal moneys. This is a return of about $93 for every $1 the state allocates to county veterans service officers. Furthermore, due to the nature of the annual reporting, the $5.4 billion only reflects the incremental monetary benefits in a given year, not the cumulative amount for ongoing benefits. The incremental monetary benefits reported in prior years cannot be tracked, yet the veterans and their dependents often continue to receive those benefits for the rest of their lives. Added to this stellar return on the states investment, but also not counted in the annual reporting, are the Medi-Cal cost avoidance savings incurred as a result of county veterans service officers qualifying and shifting veterans away from Medi-Cal and into the appropriate federal veterans program.(l) County veterans service officers accomplished all of this without ever reaching the statutory goal of $11 million in state funding, set in 2009. To date, county veterans service officers have not received more than $5.6 million per year from the states General Fund.(m) It is critical that the county veterans service officers receive a steady stream of funding as there continues to be a large number of underserved veterans and dependents who are not aware of the federal and state benefits available to them as a result of their military service or how to access them. Studies which looked at states with similar populations and veteran service operations show that higher staffing at county veterans service offices results in larger amounts of federal moneys to veterans, both in the aggregate and to the individual veteran. Other independent studies show that by using trained professional veteran service representatives when applying for benefits the claimants receive higher, more comprehensive awards.(n) These federal monetary benefits are paid directly from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to the qualifying veterans or their dependents and have a positive, multiple factor, impact on the state and local economies.(o) Current regulations limit each countys allocation of these funds to 50 percent of that countys annual expenditures. If these regulations remain in place, high performing small and mid-sized counties will be disadvantaged. It is the intent of the Legislature that these regulations be changed so that allocation of funds is based primarily upon performance, under a formula using workload units as defined in the legislation. In order to avoid penalizing high performing small and mid-size counties, it is the desire of the Legislature that arbitrary percent of expenditure limits currently imposed in regulations, as related to these funds, be abolished.
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
### SECTION 1.
(a) Since 2001, the Global War on Terrorism has created a new generation of veterans who may be eligible for federal veteran benefits because of their wartime service and their resulting service connected disabilities.
(b) Californians make up to 10 percent of the federal military forces used in these conflicts. Furthermore, the California National Guard and California-based reserve units have contributed significantly to these current conflicts at levels unheard of in prior eras.
(c) In addition to this new generation of veterans, the needs of prior generations of veterans change as those veterans age, whether by age-related changes or long-term effects from their service, resulting in additional need for assistance in accessing their benefits throughout their lifetimes.
(d) Many of the more than 20,000 veterans returning to California annually are not aware of how to access the federal and state benefits that are available to them. Furthermore, many veterans from prior eras are not aware that they may still be eligible for state and federal veteran benefits despite the time that has passed since their discharge from service.
(e) Californias county veteran service officers, and their staffs of trained professional veteran service representatives are the initial local point of contact for claimants accessing veteran benefits through both the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the State of California.
(f) Californias veteran benefits delivery model is similar to other states and relies on a close partnership between the California Department of Veterans Affairs and the county veteran services officers who are the boots on the ground and who act as the distributed network for outreach, education, and claim initiation and development.
(g) A California Department of Veterans Affairs report to the Legislature in 2007 titled Strategies to Improve Californias Utilization of Veteran Benefits noted that Californias veteran benefit utilization lagged behind Florida and Texas, states with comparable veteran populations, as well as lagging behind utilization rates nationwide. The report substantiated that California could increase federal benefit utilization by putting more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.
(h) A review of benefit utilization over several fiscal years shows a direct correlation between increased state funding for new hires and increased utilization of federal veteran benefits by Californias veterans. While early history shows California lagging behind Florida, Texas and the nation as a whole, recent history clearly shows that California was able to exceed the utilization rates of both Florida and the nation but still lags behind Texas. This improvement has been attributed to the last significant increase in state funding for county veteran service officers which allowed some counties to hire additional veteran service representatives. Even with those new hires California still lags behind Texas where there are proportionally more trained, professional veteran service representatives in the field.
(i) Estimates show that by improving Californias benefit utilization to the same utilization rate as Texas, in particular by targeting funding to additional veteran service representatives, California could connect approximately 30,000 additional veterans to monetary benefits and bring in an additional $500 million per year to the states economy.
(j) The cost of maintaining county veterans service officers are shared from county general funds and state reimbursement to the counties. In 1997, in order to track performance, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 608, which required the California Department of Veterans Affairs to annually report the amount of monetary benefits paid to veterans by the federal government that were attributable to the assistance of county veterans service officers. Senate Bill 608 also required the Department of Finance to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers of up to $5 million, if approved in the annual budget process. In 2009, the Legislature enacted, and the Governor signed into law, Senate Bill 419, which raised this amount to $11 million, if approved in the annual budget process. These dollar amounts represented approximately 50 percent of the total cost to operate county veteran services offices statewide in the respective years.
(k) As a result of this annual reporting, by the end of 2016, it was determined that from 1995 to 2016, inclusive, the state had cumulatively appropriated $58.2 million from the General Fund for its share of the cost of the county veterans service officers. As a result of this investment, county veterans service officers were able to assist local veterans in obtaining $5.4 billion in new federal moneys. This is a return of about $93 for every $1 the state allocates to county veterans service officers. Furthermore, due to the nature of the annual reporting, the $5.4 billion only reflects the incremental monetary benefits in a given year, not the cumulative amount for ongoing benefits. The incremental monetary benefits reported in prior years cannot be tracked, yet the veterans and their dependents often continue to receive those benefits for the rest of their lives. Added to this stellar return on the states investment, but also not counted in the annual reporting, are the Medi-Cal cost avoidance savings incurred as a result of county veterans service officers qualifying and shifting veterans away from Medi-Cal and into the appropriate federal veterans program.
(l) County veterans service officers accomplished all of this without ever reaching the statutory goal of $11 million in state funding, set in 2009. To date, county veterans service officers have not received more than $5.6 million per year from the states General Fund.
(m) It is critical that the county veterans service officers receive a steady stream of funding as there continues to be a large number of underserved veterans and dependents who are not aware of the federal and state benefits available to them as a result of their military service or how to access them. Studies which looked at states with similar populations and veteran service operations show that higher staffing at county veterans service offices results in larger amounts of federal moneys to veterans, both in the aggregate and to the individual veteran. Other independent studies show that by using trained professional veteran service representatives when applying for benefits the claimants receive higher, more comprehensive awards.
(n) These federal monetary benefits are paid directly from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to the qualifying veterans or their dependents and have a positive, multiple factor, impact on the state and local economies.
(o) Current regulations limit each countys allocation of these funds to 50 percent of that countys annual expenditures. If these regulations remain in place, high performing small and mid-sized counties will be disadvantaged. It is the intent of the Legislature that these regulations be changed so that allocation of funds is based primarily upon performance, under a formula using workload units as defined in the legislation. In order to avoid penalizing high performing small and mid-size counties, it is the desire of the Legislature that arbitrary percent of expenditure limits currently imposed in regulations, as related to these funds, be abolished.
SEC. 2. Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code is repealed.972.1.(a)The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 198990 fiscal year, for purposes of funding the activities of county veterans service officers pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.(b)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not less than the amount allocated in the 198889 fiscal year.(c)The department shall 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. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the departments determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.(d)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the amount annually budgeted for county veterans service officers is approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.(2)It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the departments determination in subdivision (c), to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase in the budget.(e)This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.
SEC. 2. Section 972.1 of the Military and Veterans Code is repealed.
### SEC. 2.
972.1.(a)The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 198990 fiscal year, for purposes of funding the activities of county veterans service officers pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.(b)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not less than the amount allocated in the 198889 fiscal year.(c)The department shall 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. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the departments determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.(d)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the amount annually budgeted for county veterans service officers is approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.(2)It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the departments determination in subdivision (c), to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase in the budget.(e)This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.
(a)The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs for allocation, during the 198990 fiscal year, for purposes of funding the activities of county veterans service officers pursuant to this section. Funds for allocation in future years shall be as provided in the annual Budget Act.
(b)Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with the staffing level and workload of each county veterans service officer under a formula based upon performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes, and that shall allocate county funds in any fiscal year for county veterans service officers in an amount not less than the amount allocated in the 198889 fiscal year.
(c)The department shall 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. The department shall, on or before October 1 of each year, prepare and transmit its determination for the preceding fiscal year to the Department of Finance and the Legislature. The Department of Finance shall review the departments determination in time to use the information in the annual Budget Act for the budget of the department for the next fiscal year.
(d)(1)The Legislature finds and declares that 50 percent of the amount annually budgeted for county veterans service officers is approximately eleven million dollars ($11,000,000). The Legislature further finds and declares that it is an efficient and reasonable use of state funds to increase the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) if it is justified by the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the effort of these officers.
(2)It is the intent of the Legislature, after reviewing the departments determination in subdivision (c), to consider an increase in the annual budget for county veterans service officers in an amount not to exceed five million dollars ($5,000,000), if the monetary benefits to the states veterans attributable to the assistance of county veteran service officers justify that increase in the budget.
(e)This section shall become operative January 1, 2016.
SEC. 3. Section 972.1 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:972.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers.(b) (1) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with this article, under a formula based upon workload unit performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall maintain a database of each countys 201920 fiscal year county veterans service office expenditures to be used as a baseline for comparison to future years expenditures. Each county must certify in advance of receiving funds appropriated by this section that any increase in the countys allocation resulting from this appropriation will only be used to expand the operations of its county veteran service office. The department shall review implementation of this requirement during its annual audit of county veterans service offices by comparing current year expenditures to the baseline expenditures.(3) For the purposes of this section, workload unit means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.(c) The department, in consultation with county veterans services officers, shall develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of these funds. Metrics shall include, but not be limited to:(1) The number of veterans and the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of contacts who initiated claims activities or were referred to other direct services or benefits.(3) The monetary value of benefits obtained through the efforts of the county veterans services office.(4) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(5) Demographics of the claimants served, including, but not limited to, era, age, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, and number of clients seeking assistance with special interest claims, including, but not limited to, military sexual trauma, mental health, or environmental exposures.(6) Office staffing levels broken down by veteran service representatives and support staff with percent change since the baseline year established in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
SEC. 3. Section 972.1 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:
### SEC. 3.
972.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers.(b) (1) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with this article, under a formula based upon workload unit performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall maintain a database of each countys 201920 fiscal year county veterans service office expenditures to be used as a baseline for comparison to future years expenditures. Each county must certify in advance of receiving funds appropriated by this section that any increase in the countys allocation resulting from this appropriation will only be used to expand the operations of its county veteran service office. The department shall review implementation of this requirement during its annual audit of county veterans service offices by comparing current year expenditures to the baseline expenditures.(3) For the purposes of this section, workload unit means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.(c) The department, in consultation with county veterans services officers, shall develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of these funds. Metrics shall include, but not be limited to:(1) The number of veterans and the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of contacts who initiated claims activities or were referred to other direct services or benefits.(3) The monetary value of benefits obtained through the efforts of the county veterans services office.(4) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(5) Demographics of the claimants served, including, but not limited to, era, age, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, and number of clients seeking assistance with special interest claims, including, but not limited to, military sexual trauma, mental health, or environmental exposures.(6) Office staffing levels broken down by veteran service representatives and support staff with percent change since the baseline year established in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
972.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers.(b) (1) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with this article, under a formula based upon workload unit performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall maintain a database of each countys 201920 fiscal year county veterans service office expenditures to be used as a baseline for comparison to future years expenditures. Each county must certify in advance of receiving funds appropriated by this section that any increase in the countys allocation resulting from this appropriation will only be used to expand the operations of its county veteran service office. The department shall review implementation of this requirement during its annual audit of county veterans service offices by comparing current year expenditures to the baseline expenditures.(3) For the purposes of this section, workload unit means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.(c) The department, in consultation with county veterans services officers, shall develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of these funds. Metrics shall include, but not be limited to:(1) The number of veterans and the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of contacts who initiated claims activities or were referred to other direct services or benefits.(3) The monetary value of benefits obtained through the efforts of the county veterans services office.(4) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(5) Demographics of the claimants served, including, but not limited to, era, age, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, and number of clients seeking assistance with special interest claims, including, but not limited to, military sexual trauma, mental health, or environmental exposures.(6) Office staffing levels broken down by veteran service representatives and support staff with percent change since the baseline year established in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
972.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers.(b) (1) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with this article, under a formula based upon workload unit performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall maintain a database of each countys 201920 fiscal year county veterans service office expenditures to be used as a baseline for comparison to future years expenditures. Each county must certify in advance of receiving funds appropriated by this section that any increase in the countys allocation resulting from this appropriation will only be used to expand the operations of its county veteran service office. The department shall review implementation of this requirement during its annual audit of county veterans service offices by comparing current year expenditures to the baseline expenditures.(3) For the purposes of this section, workload unit means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.(c) The department, in consultation with county veterans services officers, shall develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of these funds. Metrics shall include, but not be limited to:(1) The number of veterans and the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of contacts who initiated claims activities or were referred to other direct services or benefits.(3) The monetary value of benefits obtained through the efforts of the county veterans services office.(4) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(5) Demographics of the claimants served, including, but not limited to, era, age, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, and number of clients seeking assistance with special interest claims, including, but not limited to, military sexual trauma, mental health, or environmental exposures.(6) Office staffing levels broken down by veteran service representatives and support staff with percent change since the baseline year established in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
972.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of eleven million dollars ($11,000,000) is hereby appropriated annually from the General Fund each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, to the Department of Veterans Affairs to be available for allocation to counties to fund the activities of county veterans service officers.
(b) (1) Funds shall be disbursed each fiscal year on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintain a county veterans service officer in accordance with this article, under a formula based upon workload unit performance that shall be developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these purposes.
(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall maintain a database of each countys 201920 fiscal year county veterans service office expenditures to be used as a baseline for comparison to future years expenditures. Each county must certify in advance of receiving funds appropriated by this section that any increase in the countys allocation resulting from this appropriation will only be used to expand the operations of its county veteran service office. The department shall review implementation of this requirement during its annual audit of county veterans service offices by comparing current year expenditures to the baseline expenditures.
(3) For the purposes of this section, workload unit means a specific claim activity that is used to allocate subvention funds to counties, which is approved by the department, and performed by county veterans service officers.
(c) The department, in consultation with county veterans services officers, shall develop performance metrics to demonstrate the effective use of these funds. Metrics shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) The number of veterans and the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.
(2) The number of contacts who initiated claims activities or were referred to other direct services or benefits.
(3) The monetary value of benefits obtained through the efforts of the county veterans services office.
(4) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.
(5) Demographics of the claimants served, including, but not limited to, era, age, gender, sexual orientation, housing status, and number of clients seeking assistance with special interest claims, including, but not limited to, military sexual trauma, mental health, or environmental exposures.
(6) Office staffing levels broken down by veteran service representatives and support staff with percent change since the baseline year established in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
SEC. 4. Section 974 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read:974. (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually shall, on or before November 15 of each year, prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall include the following:(1) The number of veterans and their the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans service offices, broken down by type of benefit.(4) Other performance metrics developed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 972.1.(4)(5) A summary of other services provided by county veterans service offices and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, such as veterans outreach events, homeless veteran Stand Downs, and job fairs for veterans.(b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide total.(c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.
SEC. 4. Section 974 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read:
### SEC. 4.
974. (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually shall, on or before November 15 of each year, prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall include the following:(1) The number of veterans and their the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans service offices, broken down by type of benefit.(4) Other performance metrics developed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 972.1.(4)(5) A summary of other services provided by county veterans service offices and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, such as veterans outreach events, homeless veteran Stand Downs, and job fairs for veterans.(b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide total.(c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.
974. (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually shall, on or before November 15 of each year, prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall include the following:(1) The number of veterans and their the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans service offices, broken down by type of benefit.(4) Other performance metrics developed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 972.1.(4)(5) A summary of other services provided by county veterans service offices and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, such as veterans outreach events, homeless veteran Stand Downs, and job fairs for veterans.(b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide total.(c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.
974. (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually shall, on or before November 15 of each year, prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall include the following:(1) The number of veterans and their the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.(2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.(3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans service offices, broken down by type of benefit.(4) Other performance metrics developed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 972.1.(4)(5) A summary of other services provided by county veterans service offices and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, such as veterans outreach events, homeless veteran Stand Downs, and job fairs for veterans.(b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide total.(c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.
974. (a) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall annually shall, on or before November 15 of each year, prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, and may require each county veterans service officer to submit information required to prepare the report. The report shall include the following:
(1) The number of veterans and their the number of family members of veterans who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service offices during the fiscal year.
(2) The number of claims filed to achieve benefits such as pension, disability compensation, and health care on behalf of veterans and their dependents.
(3) The annualized monetary value of benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of county veterans service offices, broken down by type of benefit.
(4) Other performance metrics developed pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 972.1.
(4)
(5) A summary of other services provided by county veterans service offices and special events and activities in which county veterans service offices participated, such as veterans outreach events, homeless veteran Stand Downs, and job fairs for veterans.
(b) The information required to be included in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) shall be set forth for each county together with a statewide total.
(c) The department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, the California Veterans Board, and to each Member of the Legislature.
SEC. 5. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order to provide for uninterrupted continuity of services critical to the successful reintegration of Californias veterans, to increase Californias utilization of veteran benefits at the earliest possible time, and to ensure veterans claims for benefits are processed in a timely manner, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
SEC. 5. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:In order to provide for uninterrupted continuity of services critical to the successful reintegration of Californias veterans, to increase Californias utilization of veteran benefits at the earliest possible time, and to ensure veterans claims for benefits are processed in a timely manner, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
SEC. 5. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
### SEC. 5.
In order to provide for uninterrupted continuity of services critical to the successful reintegration of Californias veterans, to increase Californias utilization of veteran benefits at the earliest possible time, and to ensure veterans claims for benefits are processed in a timely manner, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.