2008 CA LEGISLATION CONTINUED

►SB1353 - State Employees:  Military Benefits - Negrete-McCloud, Chino - Existing law authorizes a state employee who is a member of the CA National Guard or a US military reserve organization to receive specified compensation benefits for a period not to exceed 365 days if he or she is ordered to serve on active duty on and after September 11, 2001, as a result of the War on Terrorism.  Existing law authorizes the Governor to extend these benefits by executive order  up to an additional 365 days.  This bill instead would authorize the Governor to extend these benefits by executive order by up to an additional 1,460 days. 
►SB1401 - Armed Forces:  Traumatic Brain Injury Screening. - Simitian, Palo Alto. - Would require the CA Department of Veterans Affairs to assist a veteran in obtaining an appropriate practice health screening for traumatic brain injury, and would require the Secretary, CDVA, to develop a plan for outreach to eligible veterans regarding traumatic brain injury.  The bill would also require the Adjutant General to develop a plan for outreach to eligible members of the CA National Guard who have returned from combat and remain on duty.
►SB1455 - Vehicles:  Specialized License Plates - Cogdill, Fresno - Denham, Modesto, several others. - Authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to sponsor a Gold Star Family specialized license plate.  The Department would be authorized to establish a fund which would receive donations to offset the costs of the Dept. of Motor Vehicles for issuing the plates.  The applicants for the special license plates would not be required to pay fees for issuance, renewal, replacement or transfer of the plates.
►SB1482 - Local Government:  Forfeiture of Office. - Correa, Santa Ana.  Would provide that an elected officer of a city, county, or district in this state forfeits his or her office upon the conviction of a crime pursuant to the federal act that involves a false claim of receipt of a military decoration or medal described in that act.
►SB1534 - Veterans:  Military Decorations. - Barrin, Palm Desert. - Would allow uniformed public safety personnel to wear military decorations during the week immediately preceding Veterans Day and Memorial Day, on those two days, and one day immediately following those days.
►AB1572 - Veteran Bond Act of 2008  - Wyland, San Juan Capistrano and several others. - Provides for submission of a bond proposal to the voters during the November 20087 election to provide for issuance of General Obligation Bonds to support the CAL-VET Farm and Home Loan Program.  The new bonds are expected to be needed to fund new applications from veterans of OIF/OEF who will be eligible for the program with the changes to federal laws which were recently passed.
►SB1675 - Veterans Revenue Debenture Act of 1970 - Cox, Roseville - Twenty-two veterans bonds have been passed since 1943 to guarantee the funding for the CAL-VET program, but according to the CDVA, the attorney general's office has recently raised concerns as to whether the department actually has authority in issuing such things as variable rate bonds.  This bill give specific statutory authority to the Secretary of CDVA to set several debenture terms. 
►SB1680 - Student Financial Aid:  Military and Veterans Benefits Office. - Wyland, San Juan Capistrano - Would require the Ca community Colleges and CA State University, and request the University of California, to establish on each of its campuses a Military and Veterans Benefits Office and appoint a full-time Military and Veterans benefit Advisor for each office.  The bill would provide that the purpose of the office be to assist a student who is an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the CA National Guard, or a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the US, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the US, in determining that students eligibility for state or federal educational benefits or grants.
►SJR16 - Veterans:  Hospitals:  Prescriptions. - Wyland - San Juan Capistrano - Urges congress and the President to allow Veterans Administration (VA) facilities to fill emergency prescriptions written by non-VA doctors.  Note:  The Resolution states, in error, that military retirees and dependents may have prescriptions filled at military medical facilities even if they are written by doctors who are not contract employees at the facility.
►SR26 - United States Army Reserve 100th Anniversary - Dutton, Rancho Cucamonga and several others.  Resolution to honor and congratulate the National Guard on the occasion of its 100th Anniversary.  (This anniversary was April 23, 2008)

                       IT'S OFFICIAL....NEW FEDERAL LAW AUTHORIZES VETERANS' SALUTES DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM
Washington (Oct. 30, 2008) VA News Release - Veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect this month.
     "The military salute is a unique gesture of respect that marks those who have served in our nation's armed forces," said Secretary of Veterans Affair Dr. James B. Peake.  "This provision allows the application of that honor in all events involving our nation's flag.
     The new provision improves upon a little known change in federal law last year that authorized veterans to render the military-style hand salute during the raising, lowering or passing of the flag, but it did not address salutes during the national anthem.  Last year's provision also applied to members of the armed forces while not in uniform.
     Traditionally, members of the nation's veterans service organizations have rendered the hand-salute during the national anthem and at events involving the national flag while wearing their organization's official head-gear.
     The most recent change, authorizing hand-salutes during the national anthem by veterans and out-of-uniform military personnel, was sponsored by Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, an Army veteran.  It was included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2009, which President Bush signed on October 14.
     The earlier provision authorizing hand-salutes for veterans and out-of uniform military personnel during the raising, lowering or passing of the flag, was contained in the National Defense Authorization Act of 20089, which took effect January 28, 2008.