Veterans.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not specify the exact details of the performance framework and its impact until further reports are prepared.

Veterans Service Officer Requirements and Improvements

This legislation requires counties to fill vacancies of veterans service officers within a year, mandates training for these officers, establishes a statewide work queue system by January 1, 2029, and creates performance frameworks for funding allocations.

What This Bill Does

• Requires that any vacancy in the position of county veterans service officer be filled within one year after the date of the vacancy.
• Mandates that new appointees obtain accreditation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs within nine months after their appointment.
• Establishes minimum training requirements to improve awareness of free disability claim resources and ensure proper data collection.
• Develops a statewide work queue system for appointments, claims assistance, and other services provided to veterans by January 1, 2029.
• Requires the California Department of Veterans Affairs to create a service capacity and performance framework for funding allocations in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers.

Who It Names or Affects

• County boards of supervisors who appoint veterans service officers.
• Veterans and their families who use the services provided by county veterans service offices.
• The California Department of Veterans Affairs which oversees these programs.

Terms To Know

Accreditation

A certification process that ensures veterans service officers meet certain standards set by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Work Queue

A system for managing and scheduling appointments, claims assistance, and other services provided to veterans.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill imposes additional duties on local officials which may require state reimbursement if deemed a mandate by the Commission on State Mandates.
• Details of the performance framework and its impact are not fully specified until further reports are prepared.
• Implementation timelines for some requirements extend to January 1, 2029.

Official Summary Text

AB 2219, as amended, Schiavo.
Veterans.
Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors of each county to appoint a county veterans service officer to perform duties relating to the administration of benefits to veterans. Existing law authorizes the board to prescribe the qualifications of a county veterans service officer and fix the compensation of that officer. Existing law requires the
California
Department of Veterans Affairs
(department)
annually to prepare a report of the activities of county veterans service officers, including information on the number of veterans and their family members who have contacted or utilized the services of the county veterans service
officers
offices
and the benefits received by veterans and their dependents as a result of the efforts of the county veterans service
officers.
offices.
This bill would require that
any
a
veterans service officer vacancy be filled within 12 months after the date of the vacancy and would require the appointee to obtain and maintain accreditation from the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
department,
as specified, within 9 months after that appointment.
The bill would additionally require the
California Department of Veterans Affairs
department
to establish minimum training requirements for accreditation that would, among other things, improve public awareness of free disability claim resources and ensure proper data collection to track system improvements. The bill would also require the
California Department of Veterans Affairs,
department,
in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, by no later than January 1,
2028,
2029,
to develop and implement a statewide work
queue
queue, as defined,
for appointments, claims assistance, and other services provided to veterans. By increasing the duties on local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law requires the
California Department of Veterans Affairs
department
to disburse funds, appropriated to the department for the purpose of supporting county veterans service officers pursuant to the annual Budget Act, on a pro rata
basis,
basis
to a county that complies with certain conditions.
This bill would
require the
California Department of Veterans Affairs,
department,
in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, to develop a service capacity and performance framework to inform funding allocations for county veterans service offices. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature describing the proposed framework and its anticipated fiscal and operational impact, as specified. The bill would additionally require the department, by no later than January 1,
2028,
2029,
and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a report analyzing data regarding the
configuration, structure, and operations of each
county
veterans service office and
to
transmit the report, as specified, to the Legislature, the Department of Finance, the State Department of Health Care Services, and the California Veterans Board.
The bill would
also
require the
California Department of Veterans Affairs,
department,
in consultation with the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, to create a standardized statewide digital survey platform to collect feedback from
veterans for services provided at service offices.
The bill would authorize the department to review, adopt, amend, or repeal guidelines or terms, or both guidelines and terms to implement these provisions and would exempt that review, adoption, amendment, or repeal from the Administrative Procedure Act.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF