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SB-1040 • 2026

Veterans Cemetery Maintenance-Endowment Match Act.

Veterans Cemetery Maintenance-Endowment Match Act.

Budget
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Choi
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
Set for hearing April 27.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The last action date (2026-04-22) indicates that the bill is still in progress, but the candidate explanation incorrectly states that the bill has passed both chambers and reached final enrollment. The actual status based on the provided information is 'Set for hearing April 27'.

Veterans Cemetery Maintenance-Endowment Match Act

This act establishes a matching funds program for maintaining veterans' cemeteries in California.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a state and local matching fund program to help maintain veterans cemeteries.
  • Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to match $1 from the state for every $1 contributed locally, up to $250,000 per cemetery each fiscal year.
  • Establishes an account in the General Fund to hold money for this purpose and distribute it to eligible cemeteries upon appropriation by the Legislature.
  • Requires annual reviews of applications by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • Requires reports on participating cemeteries, total state matches, and fund performance.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Veterans cemeteries in California
  • Local donors including individuals, veterans’ service organizations, local governments, and private donors

Terms To Know

matching funds program
A system where the state matches money given by others to help maintain veterans cemeteries.
General Fund
The main account in California's budget that holds money for various government programs and services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how much total funding will be available each year.
  • Only cemeteries that apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs can participate in this program.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 27.

  2. 2026-04-21 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  3. 2026-02-18 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on M. & V.A.

  4. 2026-02-12 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 14.

  5. 2026-02-11 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1040, as introduced, Choi.
Veterans Cemetery Maintenance-Endowment Match Act.
Existing law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs, in voluntary cooperation with specified local entities, to design, develop, and construct a state-owned and state-operated Northern and Southern California Veterans Cemetery and California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery. Existing law requires the department to oversee and coordinate the design, development, and construction of these cemeteries. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations to specify the eligibility requirements for interment in one of these cemeteries.
This bill would require the department to establish and administer a state and local matching funds program for veterans cemetery maintenance funds by requiring that for $1 contributed locally by individuals, veterans’ service organizations, local governments, or private donors, the state would contribute $1 in
matching funds, up to $250,000 per veterans cemetery per fiscal year. The bill would require a veterans cemetery to apply to the department to be part of the program, and would require the department to, among other things, review the applications annually. The bill would establish the Veterans Cemetery Maintenance-Endowment Account in the General Fund that would be administered by the department. The bill would require moneys in the account to be allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the department for distribution to a veterans cemetery. The bill would require the department to provide to the Legislature a report summarizing all participating veterans cemeteries, total state matches, and fund performance.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF