The Legislature adjourned for the 2019-2020 legislative session on Aug. 31. Bills that passed that process were sent to Gov. Newsom. The governor has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto bills. We have submitted letters to the governor requesting his signature on these bills on behalf of The American Legion. If you would like to contact the governor and voice your individual support for a particular bill or bills, there are four ways you can do it:
1. Email: https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/ There is a drop down menu you where you can select the bill #.
2. Call: (916) 445-2841
3. Fax: (916) 558-3160
4. US Mail: Governor Gavin Newsom, 1303 10th Street, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814
For more information on legislation, contact:
American Legion Department of California Legislative Commissioner Don Harper: govia@comcast.net
For more information on these bills such as the language, amendments, votes, history, and committee analyses, go to: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billSearchClient.xhtml
Key legislative dates:
Sept 30: Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills.
Nov 3: General election.
Dec 7: The new 2021-2022 Legislature convenes.
Jan 1: Statutes signed into law in 2020 take effect (unless they were urgency bills, which take effect immediately)
Going forward:
The COVID-19 pandemic severely curtailed the legislative activity this year. Many good (and bad) bills were shelved to make time to address legislation relating to the pandemic. Since a lot of the legwork was done putting the bills together in early 2020, there is a good chance a lot of those bill ideas will come back in 2021.
Barstow Veterans Home:
The State budget that was passed in June provided a process that must be followed by CalVet in determining the fate of the Barstow Veterans Home. Part of the process called for stakeholder input. We have notified CalVet of your organization’s desire to be part of that process and there will be a tele-meeting soon between CalVet and vet org leaders.
AB 408
(Frazier D) Vehicles: disabled veterans.
Status: 8/28/2020-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.). In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
Location: 8/28/2020-A. ENROLLMENT
Summary: Would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to accept a certificate from a county veterans service officer or the Department of Veterans Affairs that certifies that the applicant for a special license plate or placard is a disabled veteran.
Position: Support
AB 2046
(Voepel R) Family law: child support.
Status: 8/28/2020-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.). In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
Location: 8/28/2020-A. ENROLLMENT
Summary: Current law provides that if the person who is required to pay child support is disabled, meets certain federal eligibility requirements, and is receiving or would be eligible for certain state and federal disability payments, and the person has supplied the local child support agency with proof of eligibility or receipt of these benefits, then the order/notice to withhold income issued for the liquidation of the arrearage shall not exceed 5% of that person’s total monthly disability payments, as specified. This bill would similarly prohibit the order/notice to withhold income for the liquidation of the arrearage from exceeding 5% of a person’s total monthly disability compensation if the person who is required to pay child support is a disabled veteran receiving disability compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs who meets specified income requirements and has supplied the local child support agency with proof of receipt of disability compensation and other income and assets.
Position: Support
AB 3137
(Voepel R) Community colleges: California College Promise: members of the Armed Forces of the United States.
Status: 8/28/2020-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.). In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
Location: 8/28/2020-A. ENROLLMENT
Summary: Would require that a student who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, as defined, and is called to duty as specified, may withdraw from participation in the California College Promise and resume participation in the program upon the student’s return from duty without losing eligibility for the fee waiver or any other benefit of the program. The bill would also provide that the time during which the student was obliged to withdraw because of active duty shall not count toward the limit of the period of that student’s eligibility for participation in the California College Promise.
Position: Support
AB 3371
(Committee on Veterans Affairs) Veteran suicides: report.
Status: 8/31/2020-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 5 p.m.
Location: 8/31/2020-A. ENROLLED
Summary: Current law requires the State Department of Public Health to implement an electronic death registration system and to access data within the system to compile a report on veteran suicide in California that includes information on the veterans’ ages, sexes, races or ethnicities, and methods of suicide. Current law requires the department to provide that report annually to the Legislature and the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill would require that report to include information on the counties of residence of the veterans, and would authorize the report to include additional information.
Position: Support
SB 588
(Archuleta D) Public contracts: Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Program.
Status: 9/1/2020-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1 p.m.
Location: 9/1/2020-S. ENROLLED
Summary: Under current law, the Department of General Services, except in the case of contracts for professional bond services, is the administering agency of the California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Program, which requires state agencies and all other state entities contracting for materials, supplies, equipment, alteration, repair, or improvement to have at least 3% participation goals for disabled veteran business enterprises (DVBEs), as defined. Current law requires an awarding department, upon completion of an awarded contract for which a commitment to achieve a DVBE goal was made, to require the prime contractor that entered into a subcontract with a DVBE to certify to the awarding department specified information relating to amounts paid under the contract, as specified. This bill would require an awarding department, on a contract entered into on or after January 1 2021, to withhold $10,000, or the full payment if it is less than $10,000, from the final payment on a contract until that certification is received by the awarding department.
Position: Support
SB 907
(Archuleta D) Child abuse or neglect investigation: military notification.
Status: 8/30/2020-Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 63. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending. Ordered to special consent calendar. Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Location: 8/30/2020-S. ENROLLMENT
Summary: Would require a county child welfare department investigating a case of child abuse or neglect to determine if the parent or guardian is an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States. The bill would authorize the county child welfare department to develop and adopt memoranda of understanding with military installations that would govern the investigation of allegations of child abuse or neglect against active duty service members, as specified. The bill would specify that these provisions do not limit or change the responsibilities of a county child welfare department with respect to investigations of, or responses to, allegations of abuse or neglect.
Position: Support
Author: Seth Reeb
Seth Reeb of Reeb Government Relations is veterans legislative advocate for the American Legion Department of California and a member of El Dorado Post 119.
