California State Commanders Veterans Council

1. California State Commanders Veterans Council LTC, USA (Ret) Beverley Houghton President, Department of the Golden West

2. California State Commanders Veterans Council All Veterans Day at the Capitol April 24, 2019 State Capitol, Sacramento California TIME & LOCATION 8:30 am to 3:00 California State Capitol, Basement Eureka Room. Sacramento, CA. Legislative speakers, Legislators of the Year Award presentations, visit legislative offices. 8:30-9:00 Doors open, mingle, continental breakfast. 9:00-noon Legislative speakers. Noon-1:00 Free lunch for registered attendees. 1:00-3:00 Visit legislative offices. This event is sponsored by the California State Commanders Veterans Council: Founded in 1966, the CSCVC promotes the rights, benefits, and opportunities of veterans in the State of California. Who's invited: All veterans who are active members of the organizations belonging to the California State Commanders Veterans Council (listed below). Sign up to attend: Complete and email this form or your information to: Dana Nichol, Reeb Government Relations: dana.nichol@sbcglobal.net

3. VETERANS LEGISLATION SENT TO THE GOVERNOR IN 2018 CALIFORNIA STATE COMMANDERS VETERANS COUNCIL The Legislature adjourned for the 2018 legislative year on August 31st. The new legislature will return after the November election in December 2018 to be sworn in. During the last days of the 2018 legislative year, hundreds of bills were sent to the Governor. The Governor had until September 30th to sign or veto those bills. This is a report on the status of all bills we lobbied on your behalf that were sent to the Governor. This year we supported, opposed, or watched and followed over 90 veterans and military bills. Of those bills, 37 made it all the way through the process to the Governor’s desk. 34 of them were signed into law and 3 were vetoed. Many of the bills that did not make it to the Governor’s desk will be reintroduced in January 2019. Key legislation that did not pass in 2018 may need to be reintroduced in 2019 and the years to come. We will need to look at why a bill did not get to the Governor’s desk and address those specific issues raised by committee’s and staff to be able to move bills forward. After the election in November there will be several new legislators that will need to be educated on current veteran issues. Starting December of 2018, we will begin reaching out to those new lawmakers to introduce ourselves, educate, and explore working with them and their staff to accomplish great things for veterans moving forward.

4. 2018 California Legislation AB 865 (Levine D) Military personnel: veterans: resentencing: mitigating circumstances. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would authorize any person who was sentenced for a felony conviction prior to January 1, 2015, and who is, or was, a member of the United States military and who may be suffering from sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health problems as a result of his or her military service to petition for a recall of sentence under specified conditions. The bill would require the court, upon receiving a petition, to determine, at a public hearing held after not less than 15 days’ notice to the prosecution, the defense, and any victim of the offense, as specified, whether the person satisfies the specified criteria and, if so, would authorize the court, in its discretion, to resentence the person following a resentencing hearing. Position: Support AB 888 (Low D) Charitable raffles. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law authorizes a loan from the General Fund to the Major League Sporting Event Raffle Fund to address departmental workload related to the Department of Justice's initial implementation of enforcement activities relating to these provisions and requires the loan to be repaid to the General Fund by no later than December 31, 2018. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions until January 1, 2024. The bill would also extend the date by which the loan from the General Fund to the Major League Sporting Event Raffle Fund must be repaid to the General Fund to no later than December 31, 2023. Position: Oppose

5. 2018 California Legislation AB 1873 (Obernolte R) Driver’s licenses: veteran designation. Status: Vetoed by the Governor Summary: Current law allows an in-person applicant for a driver’s license or identification card to request the word “VETERAN” be printed on the face of the driver’s license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment fee. Commencing July 1, 2019, current law prohibits a fee from being charged for that request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs, or (2) a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person, in accordance with specified provisions. This bill would make those fee provisions inoperative on July 1, 2019, and repeal them on January 1, 2020, as specified, thereby authorizing an applicant whose veteran status has been verified, as prescribed, to make a veteran designation request, and requiring the department to make that designation on the applicant’s driver’s license or identification card, without additional charge. Governor's Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning the following bills without my signature: AB 1873 AB 2058 AB 2135 SB 987 SB 1455 Each of these bills requires significant information technology programming at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Reducing wait times in field offices and addressing the urgent needs of customers is the top priority. The programming required to implement these bills will delay the department's ability to fully modernize its aging information technology systems. While these bills may have merit, it would be prudent for the Legislature to pause on additional mandates while the department works to complete programming for prior legislative mandates and system upgrades designed to reduce transaction times and improve customer service. Sincerely, Edmund G. Brown Jr. Position: Support

6. 2018 California Legislation AB 1908 (Chávez R) Memorial districts. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law authorizes veterans memorial districts to provide funding to providers of supportive services that improve the quality of life for veterans and their families. Current law requires the secretary of every memorial district to annually prepare a financial report containing specified information from the preceding year, including, among other things, disbursements of any kind and the purposes thereof. Current law requires local agencies and special districts to report specified information on an annual basis to certain entities, including to the county auditor. This bill would require the annual financial report to include additional information about funding distributed to providers of supportive services. Position: Support AB 2325 (Irwin D) County mental health services: veterans. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would prevent a county from denying an eligible veteran county mental or behavioral health services while the veteran is waiting for a determination of eligibility for, and availability of, mental or behavioral health services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would make specific findings and declarations about the county’s duty to provide mental and behavioral health services to veterans. Position: Support

7. 2018 California Legislation AB 2439 (Garcia, Eduardo D) Official state LGBTQ Veterans Memorial. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law recognizes certain animals, plants, towns, museums, and memorials as official state emblems, including, among others, the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial as the official state Vietnam veterans war memorial and the California State Military Museum and Resource Center as the official state military museum. This bill would recognize the LGBTQ Veterans Memorial at the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City as the official state LGBTQ veterans memorial. Position: Support

8. 2018 California Legislation AB 2521 (Quirk-Silva D) Reservists: active duty: deferment of financial obligations. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: The California Military Families Financial Relief Act authorizes a reservist who is called to active duty to defer payments on mortgages, credit cards, retail installment accounts and contracts, real property taxes and assessments, vehicle leases, and obligations owed to utility companies, for the period of active duty plus 60 calendar days, or 180 days, whichever is the lesser. Current law requires the reservist or his or her designee to deliver to the obligor (1) a copy of his or her activation or deployment order and any other information that substantiates the duration of the service member’s military service, and (2) a letter signed by the reservist, under penalty of perjury, requesting a deferment of financial obligations, in order for the obligation or liability to be subject to the provisions of the act. This bill would delete the requirement to provide a signed letter, under penalty of perjury, and instead would require the reservist or his or her designee to deliver a written request by the reservist for a deferment of financial obligations to the obligor. Position: Support

9. 2018 California Legislation AB 2568 (Reyes D) County jails: veterans. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would require county jails to, upon detention of a person, ask if the person has served in the United States military and document the person’s response. The bill would additionally require that the county jail make this information available to the person, his or her counsel, and the district attorney. By increasing the duties of county jails, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Position: Support AB 2722 (Medina D) Student financial aid: California Military Department GI Bill Award Program. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would change the name of the California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program to the California Military Department GI Bill Award Program. The bill would provide that the award could be used to obtain one baccalaureate, graduate, or doctoral degree or a certificate, degree, or diploma that leads to a baccalaureate, graduate, or doctoral degree if the person agrees to serve 2 years in the California National Guard, the Naval Militia, or the California State Military Reserve, as specified. Position: Support

10. 2018 California Legislation AB 2790 (Irwin D) Veterans: Internal Audits for Veterans Affairs. Status: Vetoed by Governor Summary: Would create the office of Internal Audits for Veterans Affairs, the chief auditor of which would be subject to the direction of the secretary within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill would require the chief auditor to be appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation. The chief auditor would be responsible for reviewing and investigating, at the request of the secretary or other members of senior management of the department, the operations and financial condition of each California veterans home, each veterans farm and home purchase program, and other department programs and functions. Governor's Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 2790 without my signature. This bill would create an Office of Internal Audits at the California Department of Veterans Affairs, led by a chief auditor, to conduct programmatic and financial reviews, as well as investigate allegations of employee misconduct. The bill will result in significant ongoing costs to the General Fund. Additional spending to support new programs, including the creation of an internal audits unit within the Department, must be considered through the annual budget process. Sincerely, Edmund G. Brown Jr. Position: Support

11. 2018 California Legislation AB 2801 (Salas D) Crimes: memorials: veterans and law enforcement. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law makes it a crime for a person to destroy, cut, mutilate, deface, or otherwise injure, tear down, or remove any tomb, monument, memorial, or marker in a cemetery. Existing law makes it a crime, punishable as a felony or a misdemeanor, to maliciously destroy, cut, break, mutilate, efface, or otherwise injure, tear down, or remove any veterans’ memorial constructed or established in specified ways. Current law makes it a crime, punishable as a felony or a misdemeanor, to maliciously destroy, cut, break, mutilate, efface, or otherwise injure, tear down, or remove any law enforcement memorial or firefighter’s memorial. This bill would specify that the provisions above regarding law enforcement and firefighter’s memorials do not preclude prosecution under any other provision of law, including those regarding veterans’ memorials. Position: Support

12. 2018 California Legislation AB 2870 (Eggman D) Military: National Guard: youth challenge program: counselors. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law requires the Adjutant General of the Military Department to conduct a civilian youth opportunities program consisting of at least a 22-week residential program and a 12-month postresidential mentoring period, known as the “National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program.” Existing law requires that the program serve at-risk teens in specified areas of the state. Existing law allows the Adjutant General to appoint a director and other service members and employees to operate the program. This bill would allow for the appointment of a current member of the State Military Reserve who possesses a bachelors degree in psychology or social work to serve as a counselor within the program. Position: Support

13. 2018 California Legislation AB 2894 (Gloria D) Postsecondary education: students called to active military duty during an academic term. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would provide that, subject to applicable federal, state, and institutional refund and withdrawal policies, when a student, as defined, is called to active military duty during an academic term, the student may: choose to withdraw from the institution, retroactive to the beginning of the academic term; if at least 75% of the term has been completed, choose to request that the faculty member assign a grade for the course based on the work the student has completed, as specified; or, if the faculty member assigns a grade of Incomplete for the student’s coursework, the student has a minimum of 4 weeks after returning to the institution to complete the course requirements, as prescribed. Position: Support AB 2949 (Gloria D) Pupil residency: pupils of military families. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would require local educational agencies, as defined, to allow a pupil who is a child of a military family to continue attending his or her school of origin, as defined, or a school within the school district of origin, as provided, regardless of any change of residence of the military family or the end of military service of the pupil’s parent, as specified. By requiring local educational agencies to allow pupils of military families who no longer satisfy the residency requirement to attend their schools of origin, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Position: Support

14. 2018 California Legislation AB 3212 (Irwin D) Service member protections. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law provides that the application by a service member for, or receipt by a service member of, a stay, postponement, or suspension in the payment of any tax, fine, penalty, insurance premium, or other civil obligation or liability of that person does not itself, without regard to other considerations, provide the basis for, among other things, a determination by any lender or other person that the service member is unable to pay any civil obligation or liability or the denial or revocation of credit by the creditor. This bill would additionally provide that an application or receipt under these provisions does not provide a basis for an annotation in a service member’s record by a creditor or a person engaged in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information identifying the service member as a member of the active militia, or an active or reserve component of the Armed Forces. Position: Support

15. 2018 California Legislation ACR 67 (Aguiar-Curry D) Veterans’ Memorial Highway. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would designate a portion of State Highway Route 29 in the County of Napa as the Veterans’ Memorial Highway. The measure would request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost for appropriate signs with this designation, and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs. Position: Support ACR 110 (Gloria D) City of San Diego’s Naval Training Station. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would designate specified exits on Interstate 5 as the routes for reaching the Naval Training Station and would request the Department of Transportation to determine the costs of appropriate historic landmark signs showing that designation, and, upon receipt of donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover that cost, to erect the historic landmark signs. Position: Support

16. 2018 California Legislation ACR 151 (Voepel R) Gubernatorial appointments: military service. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would request that the Governor consider nominating individuals with military background to ensure military representation through appointments to appropriate state boards, councils, and commissions. Position: Support ACR 184 (Bigelow R) Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would designate a specified portion of State Route 88 in the County of Alpine as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs. Position: Support

17. 2018 California Legislation ACR 190 (Salas D) Blue Star Mothers of America Month. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would recognize May 2018 as Blue Star Mothers of America Month in California, as specified. Position: Support ACR 192 (Salas D) Gold Star Mothers’ and Families’ Day. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would proclaim September 30, 2018, as Gold Star Mothers’ and Families’ Day in California. Position: Support

18. 2018 California Legislation SB 895 (Nguyen R) Pupil instruction: model curricula: Vietnamese American refugee experience, the Cambodian genocide, and Hmong history and cultural studies. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would require the Instructional Quality Commission to develop and submit to the State Board of Education, on or before December 31, 2022, and the state board to adopt, modify, or revise, on or before March 31, 2023, a model curriculum relative to the Vietnamese American refugee experience and a model curriculum relative to the Cambodian genocide, as specified, for use in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools. Position: Support SB 1007 (Hertzberg D) Sales and use taxes: exemption: military and veteran medical facilities. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: The Sales and Use Tax Law provides various exemptions from those taxes, including an exemption for the sale of, or the storage, use, or other consumption of, meals and food products that are furnished or served by any nonprofit veteran’s organization for purposes of fundraising, as specified. This bill, on and after January 1, 2019, and before January 1, 2025, would exempt from these taxes the gross receipts from the sale of, and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of, building materials and supplies purchased by a qualified person for use by that qualified person in the construction of specified military and veteran medical facilities. Position: Support

19. 2018 California Legislation SB 1071 (Roth D) Public postsecondary education: Chancellor of the California Community Colleges: policy to award course credit for prior military education, training, and service. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would require, by September 1, 2019, the office of the chancellor, in collaboration with the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges, to develop a consistent policy to award military personnel and veterans who have an official Joint Services Transcript course credit for California Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum, California State University General Education Breadth, or local community college general education requirements, as specified. The bill would also require the office of the chancellor and the academic senate to review and adjust this uniform policy to align it with policies of other public postsecondary educational institutions. Position: Support

20. 2018 California Legislation SB 1080 (Roth D) Transportation network companies: driver requirements and identification. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: The Passenger Charter-party Carriers’ Act defines a participating driver or driver as any person who uses a vehicle in connection with a transportation network company’s online-enabled application or platform to connect with passengers. This bill would require a participating driver to possess either a valid driver’s license issued by the State of California or, in the case of a nonresident active duty military member or a nonresident dependent of an active duty military member, a valid driver’s license issued by the other state or territory of the United States in which the member or dependent is a resident. Position: Support

21. 2018 California Legislation SB 1123 (Jackson D) Disability compensation: paid family leave. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would, on and after January 1, 2021, expand the scope of the family temporary disability insurance program to include time off to participate in a qualifying exigency related to the covered active duty, as defined, or call to covered active duty of the individual’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent in the armed forces of the United States, as specified. Position: Support SB 1137 (Vidak R) Veterans: professional licensing benefits. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Current law provides for a variety of state benefits to veterans. This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Consumer Affairs to, in consultation with each other, take appropriate steps to increase awareness regarding professional licensing benefits available to veterans and their spouses, as specified. Position: Support

22. 2018 California Legislation SB 1304 (Roth D) Veterans: transitional assistance program: funding. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept donations of personal property, including cash or other gifts, to be used to further the purposes of the transition assistance program. The bill would create the CalTap Endowment Fund in the State Treasury for the purpose of receiving cash donations, and would continuously appropriate moneys in the fund for the purpose of funding competitive grants in support of the transition assistance program. By creating a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. Position: Support SB 1312 (Jackson D) State public employees: sick leave: veterans with service-related disabilities. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: The California Wounded Warriors Transitional Leave Act grants a state officer or employee who is a veteran hired on or after January 1, 2016, with a service-connected disability rated at 30% or more by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, an additional credit for sick leave with pay of up to 96 hours for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment for his or her military service-related disability. Current law requires that the sick leave be credited to a qualifying officer or employee on the first day of employment and remain available for use for the following 12 months of employment. This bill would extend that benefit to a state officer or employee employed on or after January 1, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30% or more by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Position: Support

23. 2018 California Legislation SB 1427 (Hill D) Discrimination: veteran or military status. Location: Vetoed by Governor Summary: Current law declares that housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income, disability, or genetic information is against public policy. This bill would state findings and declarations of the Legislature regarding the importance of housing for veterans and its priority and declare that housing discrimination on the basis of veteran or military status is against public policy. Governor's Veto Message: To the Members of the California State Senate: I am returning Senate Bill 1427 without my signature. This bill would add veterans and military personnel as a protected class under the Fair Employment and Housing Act. It also prohibits landlords and property owners from refusing to accept federal Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers as a source of income for payment of rent. We should support our veterans and military personnel, but this bill goes too far. Specifically, it forces landlords and property owners to take part in what has always been a voluntary federal program with numerous requirements. These include registration with a local housing authority, participation in training, property inspections and modification of leases to conform with federal standards. I don't believe a mandate to comply with all these requirements is warranted. Sincerely, Edmund G. Brown Jr. Position: Support

24. 2018 California Legislation SB 1500 (Committee on Veterans Affairs) Prohibited discrimination against service members. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law prohibits various types of discrimination against a member of the military or naval forces of the state or of the United States because of his or her membership or service, including, among others, discrimination with respect to his or her employment. This bill would extend the protections against, among other things, discharge from employment to members of the federal reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States and members of the State Military Reserve. The bill would additionally prohibit refusing entrance into specified places to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States because that member wears the uniform of the organization to which he or she belongs. Position: Support

25. 2018 California Legislation SB 1501 (Committee on Veterans Affairs) Military and veterans: enlisted persons. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: Current law establishes within state government a Military Department that includes the office of the Adjutant General, the California National Guard, the State Military Reserve, the California Cadet Corps, and the Naval Militia. Current law also generally governs the administration of military and veterans’ affairs, including those relating to enlisted men and women. This bill would make technical amendments to modify references throughout the code to “enlisted man or woman” or “enlisted men or women” to instead refer to “enlisted person” or “enlisted persons.” Position: Support SCR 86 (Nguyen R) Veterans of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Day. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would proclaim June 19, 2018, as Veterans of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Day. Position: Support SCR 87 (Nguyen R) Republic of Vietnam Month. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure proclaims the month of October 2018 as Republic of Vietnam Month, in commemoration of the 62nd anniversary of the adoption of the first Constitution of the Republic of Vietnam, in honor of the lives lost for freedom and democracy during the Vietnam War, and in recognition of the positive contributions of Vietnamese Americans to the State of California. Position: Support

26. 2018 California Legislation SCR 99 (Roth D) Military and Veteran Suicide Prevention Awareness Week. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would proclaim September 24, 2018, to September 30, 2018, inclusive, as Military and Veteran Suicide Prevention Awareness Week in California. Position: Support SCR 101 (Roth D) Purple Heart Day. Location: 8/23/2018-S. CHAPTERED Summary: This measure would declare August 7, 2018, as Purple Heart Day in California. Position: Support SCR 128 (Nguyen R) American flag. Status: Signed by the Governor. Summary: This measure would declare that the American flag represents the values of freedom and liberty, would call upon the state and local government to prohibit any government entity in the state from banning the American flag from public property, and would recognize June 14, 2018, as Flag Day. Position: Support

27. 2019 California Legislation AB 427 – Military Retirement Pay Assemblyman William Brough Issue California is home for 146,000 military retirees. According to a study by the San Diego Military Advisory Council, California is one of only nine states that fully tax the pay of its military retirees. From 2000 to 2016, the nation’s population of military retirees increased by 17%, yet during that time span California saw a decrease by 17%. The Governor’s Military Council states that many veterans will leave California based on concerns about our state’s cost of living. They are also attracted to incentives provided by other states, like whether or not a state taxes their military pension benefits. State leaders should explore appropriate ways to incentivize veterans to stay in California. Solution To incentivize more veterans to keep their excellent skills here in California, such as, leadership, teamwork, and a high aptitude for technology, this bill would exempt military retirement pay from state income tax for veterans who are residents in California. This bill sunsets these provisions on January 1, 2030. To offset initial revenue loss to the state, the implementation of exempting full retirement pay would be tiered for each retiree: • Taxable years 1 & 2, 50% of retirement pay is exempt • Taxable years 3 & 4, 75% of retirement pay is exempt • Taxable year 5 and each year after, 100% of retirement pay is exempt through the sunset

28. 2019 California Legislation Ending military pension taxation would yield significant benefits. It would raise the number of military retirees choosing to reside in California and also diminish the current declining trend over time. The economic benefits would be tangible and significant in terms of jobs, total personal income, GSP, and total business sales. California should do its part to not only give back to our veterans, but to attract future veterans to keep their skills here in the Golden State. Background In order for a military service member to receive full military retirement benefits they must serve a minimum 20 years. Once an individual retires from active duty at 20 years, they receive 40% of the average of their highest 36 months of basic pay, a 2% increase for any additional years, and the benefits has an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Nationwide less than 20% of veterans serve 20 years to receive military retirement benefits. But if a service member joins in their 20s, this retirement system allows them to retire around the age of 40. The graph below from the U.S. Department of Defense shows the age at retirement for military members who received a retirement in 2015, with most members being in their mid-40s

29. 2019 California Legislation

30. State Law California’s Constitution contains provisions offering a partial exemption from property tax for disabled veterans worth $150,000 of their home’s assessed value for lower income disabled vets and $100,000 for all other incomes. These amounts have been adjusted for inflation so that disabled veterans with household income below $57,258 are eligible for an exemption amount of $191,266. All other disabled veterans qualify for an exemption amount of $127,510 for fiscal year 2016-17. Eligibility is based on a disability rating from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA). To qualify for the exemption, the USDVA must rate the veteran’s disability at 100 percent or rate their disability compensation at 100 percent because they are unable to find and keep gainful employment. Property owners must apply each year for the exemption. 2019 California Legislation Similar Legislation AB 2394 (Brough, 2018) would have Excludes from income tax that retirement pay received from the federal government for service performed in the Armed Forces of the United States and the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, and the commissioned corps of the United States Public Health Service. AB 528 (Gray, 2017) would have excluded from gross income a percentage of qualified retirement pay received by a taxpayer from the federal government for military service performed in the Armed Forces of the United States, the reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, or the National Guard. AB 1275 (Gray, 2015) would have excluded from gross income the retirement pay received by a taxpayer from the federal government for military service performed in the U.S. Armed Forces, the reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces, or the National Guard. AB 1275 would have also excluded the gross income survivor benefits received by a taxpayer from the federal government. AB 505 (Melendez, 2015) would have excluded from income Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) received by active, reserve, or retired members of the United States military who served in active duty.

31. Member Organizations AMERICAN LEGION AMERICAN G.I. FORUM AMVETS ASSOCIATION OF THE US ARMY CA ASSOCIATION OF CVSO’S ELITE SERVICE-DVBE’S FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF THE US MARINE CORPS LEAGUE MARINE CORPS VETERANS ASSOCIATION MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF CA NATIONAL VETERANS FOUNDATION PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION SCOTTISH AMERICAN MILITARY SOCIETY US SUBMARINE VETERANS VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS VET MATCHMAKING VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA WOMEN VETERANS ALLIANCE

32. 2019 Legislative Agenda AB21 – Remove Fee to Add Vet to Driver’s License AB55 – Continuation of Appropriation of Funds CVSO AB 240 – Loose Policy Vet Home AB408 – License Plates AB 427 – Tax Military Retirement Pay AB498 – Taxes on Vet Owned Business AB527 – Alligator Product Removal AB550 – Medical Foster Home Pilot Program AB581 – Court Appeal on PTSD AB1257 – Exempt Tax Auto Adaptive Equipment AB1258 – Income Tax Exemption AB1365 – Vet Disabled Businesses AB1343 – Federal Aid for College AB1376 – Veterans with History of Security Clearances AB1588 – Water District Skill Sets

33. 2019 Legislative Agenda SB245 – Pets for Vets SB289 – MediCal Transfer Process for Special Needs Children SB364 – Property Tax Relief SB500 – Graduate Programs SB562 – Property Tax Relief SB588 – Disabled Vets Business Enterprise Program SB644 – Reducing Security Deposit Requirements for Rentals SB663 – Property Tax Exemptions for Vet Organizations

34. Questions ???