The Governor signed a series of veterans and military related bills in to law this weekend. Note that SB 837 by Senator Tom Umberg fulfills the longtime goal of veterans orgs to remove the fee to obtain the “VETERAN” designation on the drivers license and ID cards. There are still some veterans bills on the Governor’s desk. Please send this to your members.
- AB 305 by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) – Veteran services: notice.
- AB 325 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) – Veterans: discharge upgrades.
- AB 738 by Assemblymember Janet Nguyen (R-Huntington Beach) – Community mental health services: mental health boards.
- AB 1633 by Assemblymember Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) – Public postsecondary education: veterans’ educational benefits: information sharing.
- AB 1715 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) – Space Force.
- AB 1731 by Assemblymember Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel) – Postsecondary education: Title 38 awards: postsecondary educational institutions: application for approval or renewal.
- AB 1762 by Assemblymember Devon Mathis (R-Porterville) – State Capitol: Gold Star Families monument.
- AB 2119 by Assemblymember Heath Flora (R-Ripon) – Veterans: Medical Foster Home Program.
- AB 2509 by Assemblymember Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) – Vehicles: vehicle license fee and registration fees: exemptions.
- SB 837 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Driver’s licenses: veteran designation. (See notes below)
- The bill to delete the $5 fee for the VET driver’s license has been signed by the Governor. However, there is a requirement in another bill that deals with DMV that states that SB 837 will only go into effect if SB 1193 also gets signed in to law and SB 837 is signed first. SB 1193 is still on the Governor’s desk. SB 1193 would allow for Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customers to opt in to receiving select DMV notices electronically. It is expected that SB 1193 will be signed in to law since it seeks to streamline processes at DMV.
- SB 949 by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) – Veterans: California Central Coast State Veterans Cemetery.
- SB 984 by Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera) – Military service: leave of absence: pay and benefits.
- SB 1041 by Senator Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) – Sales and use taxes: general exemptions.
- SB 1182 by Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton) – Family law.
- SB 1195 by Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) – Veterans homes.
- SB 1237 by Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) – Licenses: military service.
SB 1193, Newman. Department of Motor Vehicles: electronic notifications and transactions.
Existing law requires a state department, including the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or a division, officer, employee, or agent, to give various notices or communications to persons and requires that whenever that notice is required to be given, the notice is to be given by personal delivery, by certified mail, or by mail.
This bill would, among other things, for a provision of the Vehicle Code or of Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations that requires the DMV to mail, notify, deliver via certified or first class mail, provide information in written form, or otherwise references the use of paper, a writing, or the mail to convey information to a person, authorize that requirement to be satisfied by electronic notification, if certain conditions are established by the DMV, including that the person consented to the electronic receipt of the document or information delivered. The bill would authorize the DMV to adopt regulations to implement these provisions and would make conforming changes.
Existing law requires a person to have a valid license or temporary permit issued by the DMV to act as a vehicle salesperson and requires the DMV to issue a license bearing a fullface photograph of the licensed vehicle salesperson, among other information, upon their application for the license.
This bill would authorize the DMV to require a photograph at the time of the license renewal.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 12811 of the Vehicle Code proposed by SB 837 to be operative only if this bill and SB 837 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
For full text of the bills, visit: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
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.