Veterans.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how many veterans will be affected or the exact criteria for prioritization beyond mental health issues, traumatic brain injuries, sexual assault or harassment, and gender identity.

Help for Veterans

This law helps veterans by making it easier for them to get professional licenses, changing the Veteran’s Military Discharge Upgrade Grant Program to require free education and assistance, and creating a new program called the Veteran’s Housing and Supportive Services Grant Program.

What This Bill Does

• Makes it quicker and easier for veterans who were honorably discharged or received a discharge solely as a result of a specified executive order to get professional licenses.
• Changes the Veteran's Military Discharge Upgrade Grant Program so that service providers must offer free education about discharge upgrades and assistance with filing applications.
• Creates a new program called the Veteran’s Housing and Supportive Services Grant Program, which funds services for veterans who need housing support when they leave the military.

Who It Names or Affects

• Veterans who are applying for professional licenses
• Service providers that help with discharge upgrades and housing support

Terms To Know

Executive Order

A directive issued by the President or a Governor to manage operations within their jurisdiction.

Discharge Upgrade

An official change in a veteran's discharge status from less than honorable to more favorable, often due to new evidence of circumstances that affected service performance.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill needs funding from the Legislature to start the Veteran’s Housing and Supportive Services Grant Program.
• It is unclear how many veterans will benefit from these changes.

Official Summary Text

AB 1775, as amended, Ward.
Veterans.
Existing law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs under the direction of the Director of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the administration of the various boards under its jurisdiction that license and regulate various professions and vocations. Existing law requires those boards to expedite, and authorizes them to assist, the initial licensure process for an applicant who supplies satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant has served as an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States and was honorably discharged.
This bill would extend that requirement and authorization to also include members who were discharged or received a discharge solely as a result of a specified executive order. The bill would make additional conforming changes.
Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Veteran’s Military Discharge Upgrade Grant Program to help fund service providers who, for free or at low cost, will educate veterans about discharge upgrades and assist veterans in filing discharge upgrade applications, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to prioritize veteran recipients of the services, such as prioritizing those who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation.
This bill would instead require the program to help fund service providers who will educate veterans on the above-described services at no cost. The bill would additionally require the department to prioritize veteran recipients who are able to demonstrate that their less than
honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate their characterization of service was connected to gender identity.
This bill would additionally require the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Veteran’s Housing and Supportive Services Grant Program to help fund service providers who, for at no cost, will provide housing supports for veterans being discharged from service. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program, and to prioritize veteran recipients who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate
their characterization of service was connected to gender identity.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF