Veterans' Legislation
SB 1138 (Johannessen-R) Veterans farm and home purchase program
Requires that all purchasers participating in the Veterans Farm and Home Purchase Program also participate in the Veterans Indemnity Fund, as specified.
Chapter 634, Statutes of 1998
SB 1158* (Johannessen-R) Veterans: life or disability insurance
Requires that any master agreement entered into between the State Department of Veterans Affairs and any insurance company to provide life or disability insurance, shall contain a provision requiring the maintenance of life or disability insurance reserves.
Chapter 197, Statutes of 1998
SB 1428 (Johannessen-R) County veterans service officers: disbursements to counties
Appropriates $5 million annually from the General Fund to the Veterans Service Office Fund beginning in FY 1998/99. The money is to be allocated by the State Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of funding county veterans service officers. The funds are to be disbursed on a pro rata basis to counties that have established and maintained a county veterans service officer.
(Died in Senate Appropriations Committee)
SB 1462 (Mountjoy-R) Prisoner-of-war license plates
Exempts, as of July 1, 1999, from vehicle license fees and registration fees a vehicle owned by a former prisoner of war, and specifies changes in the design of the prisoner of war license plates.
Chapter 563, Statutes of 1998
SB 1818* (Johannessen-R) Northern California Veterans Cemetery
Requires the State Department of Veterans Affairs, in cooperation with the boards of supervisors of specified counties, to design, develop and construct a Northern California Veterans Cemetery to be located in northern California.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
SB 1884* (Johannessen-R) Veterans: farm and loan purchases: insurance reports
Extends the deadline for the California Veteran Farm and Home Purchase Program (the Cal-Vet Program) insurance reports to the Legislature from July 1 to September 1 annually.
Chapter 209, Statutes of 1998
SB 2078 (McPherson-R) Veterans cemeteries
Requires the State Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a statewide study on the feasibility of state-owned and state-operated veterans cemeteries and submit the study to the Legislature by July 1, 1999.
Vetoed by the Governor
SB 2186 (Knight-R) Veterans homes: lease of property: revenues
Requires a portion of the money received from the lease of real property for a golf course at the veterans home at Yountville to be made available annually, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for special projects that provide a direct benefit to the members of the home, as specified.
Chapter 1071, Statutes of 1998
SB 2234* (Senate Revenue And Taxation Committee) Employment taxes: administration: contributions
Permits, among other things, the designation of the California Mexican American Veterans' Memorial Beautification and Enhancement Account to appear on the tax form as a contribution check off for taxpayers who wish to contribute, after the State Franchise Tax Board has been notified, in writing, that construction of the Veterans' Memorial has commenced.
Vetoed by the Governor
SCR 68 (Ayala-D) World War II: Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island
Recognizes and commends the valor of the men and women of the United States and the Philippines who served on the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island during World War II.
Resolution Chapter 92, Statutes of 1998
SCR 70 (Thompson-D) Sonoma County Veterans Memorial Highway
Designates the unnamed section of State Highway Route 101, beginning in Sonoma County and ending at Healdsberg at the Bill Lucius Highway, the Sonoma County Veterans Memorial Highway.
Resolution Chapter 102, Statutes of 1998
SCR 73 (Kopp-I) Veterans Boulevard
Designates a specified segment of State Highway Route 1 in the City and County of San Francisco as Veterans Boulevard.
Resolution Chapter 64, Statutes of 1998
SCR 74 (Johnson-R) Orange County Veterans Memorial Highway
Designates a portion of State Highway Route 133 in Orange County the Veterans Memorial Highway. Requests the State Department of Transportation to determine the cost of erecting a sign showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect the sign.
Resolution Chapter 96, Statutes of 1998
SCR 76 (Johannessen-R) POW Recognition Day
Designates April 9, 1998, as POW Recognition Day in California.
Resolution Chapter 24, Statutes of 1998
SCR 89 (Johnston-D) America's Filipino Soldiers
Recognizes the heroic deeds of the first and second Filipino Infantry Regiments, United States Army, as "California's Own," and supports documentation of their story in the film "An Untold Triumph: America's Filipino Soldiers."
Resolution Chapter 71, Statutes of 1998
SJR 31 (Johannessen-R) State Veterans' Cemetery
Petitions the President of the United States, the Congress, and the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to propose funding for the construction and operation of a State Veterans Cemetery in northern California.
Resolution Chapter 25, Statutes of 1998
SJR 32 (Thompson-D) Veterans: smoking addiction
Memorializes the Congress of the United States to include, as part of current legislation regulating the tobacco industry, a diversion of sufficient funds to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for the costs of compensation paid to veterans who suffer as a result of the smoking addiction acquired when they were in the United States Armed Forces.
Resolution Chapter 35, Statutes of 1998
SJR 34 (Johannessen-R) Arlington National Cemetery
Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to take all necessary action in the future to ensure that the sacred military burial ground of Arlington National Cemetery is maintained for those currently eligible for burial there.
Resolution Chapter 17, Statutes of 1998
SJR 35 (Solis-D) Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces
Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States during the Second Session of the 105th Congress to take action necessary to grant full veterans benefits to Filipino veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Resolution Chapter 46, Statutes of 1998
SJR 39 (Thompson-D) Health insurance for military retirees
Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to enact legislation that recognizes the importance that the United States government maintain its commitment to America's military retirees by providing lifetime health care for military retirees over the age of 65 years, legislation to require opening the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program to eligible uniformed services beneficiaries, and any other appropriate legislation that would address the concerns set forth in the measure.
Resolution Chapter 146, Statutes of 1998
SR 30 (Johannessen-R) Memorial Day
Urges all Californians to remember and honor, on Memorial Day, those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country during the time of war.
Adopted by the Senate
AB 324 (Baldwin-R) Veterans: Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia
Allows the Veterans Home at Barstow to reconfigure the use of their existing 400 beds. Currently, there are 180 beds which provide skilled nursing care and this bill will increase that number to 250 skilled nursing beds. By doing so, it will decrease the number of domiciliary care beds from 220 down to 150.
Chapter 976, Statutes of 1998
AB 551* (Morrissey-R) Property taxation: veterans' exemption
Deletes the existing implementing statute for the veterans' property tax exemption, and adds a new implementing provision that increases the amount of the exemption from $4,000 to $7,700 for veterans who claim the exemption on real property, as specified. Specifies that this bill will become operative only if ACA 9 (Morrissey-R) is adopted and approved by the voters.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
AB 576 (Baldwin-R) Veterans Registry Fund
Creates the California Veterans Memorial Registry Fund as a continuously appropriated fund for the deposit of financial contributions made for the support of the Veterans Registry. The Registry is part of the California Veterans Memorial located in the State Capitol Park. Specifies criteria that a person must meet to be included in the Veterans Registry.
Chapter 765, Statutes of 1998
AB 626 (Baca-D) Veterans: California Veterans Board
Requires any city or county which has established a civil service system and entrance examination for the selection of appointive officers and employees, the board of supervisors or city council, by January 1, 2000, shall either implement a veterans' preference system giving preference to a veteran over other identically qualified applicants or shall adopt a resolution identifying reasons that it does not implement a veterans' preference system. States legislative intent that a board of supervisors or city council may seek the voluntary assistance of a veterans service office serving that area in implementing a veterans' preference system.
Vetoed by the Governor
AB 1838 (Kuykendall-R) Prisoner-of-War/Missing-in-Action Flag
Requires the flag of the National League of POW/MIA families to be flown over specified public buildings and grounds and on specified dates. Requests the Governor and the Legislature to issue proclamations calling for appropriate ceremonies and activities on POW/MIA Recognition Day (the third Friday of September).
Chapter 569, Statutes of 1998
AB 1877 (Floyd-D) California veterans
Increases oversight of the State Department of Veterans Affairs' (DVA) California Veteran Farm and Home Purchase Program and creates an Inspector General within the DVA to oversee the loan program and the administration of the state's veterans homes.
Vetoed by the Governor
AB 2096* (Margett-R) Veterans: Cal-Vet loans
Authorizes the State Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to allow a qualified veteran purchaser to make an initial payment of at least two percent of the selling price of the property. Allows the DVA to waive the initial payment in specified cases. Requires DVA to take prudent measures to minimize losses from loan defaults and delinquencies when a veteran purchaser makes an initial payment of less than twenty percent of the property's selling price. DVA shall also be required to charge fees to cover the costs of any mortgage insurance or loan guarantees determined to be needed. Such fees or charges could be included in the loan amount. Authorizes those rates to be either fixed or variable interest rates. Deletes the provision relating to specified debentures that require DVA to establish, fix, and collect interest at a rate sufficient to pay and provide for an additional aggregate sum as may be provided in any resolution of issuance, as specified. Provides that Section 8 of this act, which repeals Section 1003.9 of the Military and Veterans Code, shall become operative only if AB 2097 (Margette-R) of the 1997-98 Regular Session is enacted and becomes operative.
Chapter 530, Statutes of 1998
AB 2097* (Margett-R) Veterans farm and home purchases
Requires the State Department of Veterans Affairs to report to the California Veterans Board and the Veterans Finance Committee of 1943 regarding the recommended rate of interest payable on the remaining unpaid amount on any veteran purchaser's Cal-Vet home contract executed after January 1, 1999. Allows the State Department of Veterans Affairs to modify interest rates to be paid, either fixed or variable, on Cal-Vet home purchase contracts executed after January 1, 1999.
Chapter 362, Statutes of 1998
AB 2360 (Olberg-R) Business license exemption: veterans' organizations
Prohibits cities and counties from requiring federally chartered veterans' organizations to have a regulatory license, or to pay a regulatory license fee, to solicit donations for the support of veterans.
Chapter 138, Statutes of 1998
AB 2366 (Cedillo-D) California Mexican American Veterans' Memorial check off
Ensures that the California Mexican American Veterans' Memorial check off will appear on the 1998 tax return.
Chapter 818, Statutes of 1998
AB 2581 (Cardoza-D) Commercial vehicle fees exemption
Increases the allowable weight of commercial vehicles exempted from registration and weight fees for such vehicles owned by a disabled veteran or a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, on and after July 1, 1999.
Chapter 482, Statutes of 1998
AB 2725 (Cardoza-D) Veterans homes
Establishes a Governor's Commission on a Central California Veterans Home to make recommendations to the Legislature on the establishment of one or more state veterans homes in central California. The Commission will be eliminated January 1, 2000.
Vetoed by the Governor
ACA 9 (Morrissey-R) Property taxation: veterans' exemption
Increases the existing veterans' exemption from $7,000 to $7,700 in the case in which that exemption is claimed exclusively with respect to real property, and removes the limitations on eligibility for the exemption for persons owning property in excess of those specified amounts. Provides that if the homeowners' property tax exemption is increased above the amount of $7,000, the amount of the veterans' exemption shall, in the case in which the exemption is claimed exclusively with respect to real property, be increased to 110% of the homeowners' exemption. Prohibits a veteran's exemption claim if a homeowners' exemption is claimed by a person eligible to claim the veteran's exemption.
(Died in Assembly Appropriations Committee)
ACR 104 (Wayne-D) Jewish veterans
Proclaims the week of March 10 to 16 of every year as Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America Week.
Resolution Chapter 12, Statutes of 1998
ACR 117 (Machado-D) Hire-A-Veteran Week
Designates the week of May 3, 1998 to May 9, 1998, inclusive, as Hire-A-Veteran Week.
Resolution Chapter 48, Statutes of 1998
ACR 133 (Strom-Martin-D) Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge
Designates Bridge No. 10-0289, located 4.95 miles north of the Sonoma-Mendocino County line on State Highway Route 101, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge. Requests the State Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate plaques and markers showing that special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources concerning that cost, to erect appropriate highway markers and signs.
Resolution Chapter 151, Statutes of 1998
ACR 148 (Cedillo-D) The Marine Private First Class Eugene A. Obregon Interchange
Designates the freeway interchange involving Interstate Highway Routes 5 and 10 and State Highway Route 60 and 101, commonly referred to as the East Los Angeles Interchange, the Marine Private First Class Eugene A. Obregon Interchange. Requests the State Department of Transportation to determine the cost for appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.
Resolution Chapter 125, Statutes of 1998
ACR 154 (Floyd-D) Memorial Day
Encourages all Californians to fully observe Memorial Day on May 25, 1998, by participating in appropriate programs and activities in recognition and thanks to those who perished to preserve our freedom.
Resolution Chapter 59, Statutes of 1998
ACR 171 (Lempert-D) Military Servicewomen's Memorial Highway
Designates a specified segment of State Highway Route 101 as the Military Servicewomen's Memorial Highway. Requests the State Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate plaques and markers showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect appropriate plaques and markers.
Resolution Chapter 154, Statutes of 1998
ACR 182 (Perata-D) Veterans Memorial Freeway
Designates a specified portion of State Highway Route 101 in San Rafael the Marin County Veterans Memorial Freeway.
(Died in Senate Rules Committee)
AJR 41 (Morrissey-R) Health care: military retirees and their dependents
Memorializes the President and the Congress of the United States to support and enact legislation recognizing the medical needs of retired military personnel and their dependents, including former military spouses, through a combination of a Medicare subvention program for those desiring or able to travel to a Military Treatment Facility or a State Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility, and a Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan enrollment option for retired military personnel who are otherwise the only federal employees who are denied their employer-provided health care at the age of 65 years.
(Died in Assembly Rules Committee)
AJR 67 (Floyd-D) Persian Gulf War: depleted-uranium exposure
Memorializes the Congress of the United States to immediately investigate whether United States Armed Forces currently deployed in the Persian Gulf region have been trained regarding depleted-uranium safety measures, have been issued appropriate protective equipment, and have been provided with radiometers to detect depleted-uranium contamination. Encourages the Congress to fund a nongovernmental organization or agency, with no ties to the Department of Defense and other specified agencies, to conduct a thorough investigation of all Persian Gulf War hazardous exposures, including depleted uranium, and to make recommendations to the Congress, as specified. Encourages the Congress to provide all Gulf War veterans, their families, and civilians who have known or suspected exposures to depleted uranium, if they develop the known health effects of internal or external exposure to depleted uranium, with immediate medical care and disability benefits.
Resolution Chapter 129, Statutes of 1998
HR 61 (Floyd-D) The POW/MIA Flag
Requests the Governor to ensure that the POW/MIA Flag is flown on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May; Memorial Day, the last Monday in May; Flag Day, June 14; Independence Day, July 4; National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the third Friday in September; and Veterans Day, November 11, over each state building and all state-owned grounds, including, but not limited to, each public building belonging to the state, at the entrance and exit of every state park, at the entrance or upon the grounds of each campus of the University of California, at the entrance or upon the grounds of or upon the administration building of every state university and college, and public high school and elementary school, upon or at every agricultural inspection station just inside California and located on every highway leading into California, and at the entrance of or within every state highway maintenance station where personnel reside or are on duty at the time necessary to raise and lower the flag.
