As a military veteran I am asking for your assistance in getting AB-1814 passed into law this legislative session. Please contact your local State Assemblyman and State Senator’s office and ask them to support AB-1814.

AB-1814, The Veterans Benefit Recovery Augmentation Plan proposes to amend language within the California Military and Veterans Code (M&V) specifically section 699.5 to supplement or augment the understaffed and under budgeted Veteran Services Division of the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) in California.

Given that less than 200,000, of California’s more than two million veterans receive federal benefits, and that California government has less than 300 employees dedicated to veteran outreach to the remaining 1.8 million veterans, AB-1814 will allow the State of California (CDVA) to enter into a contractual partnership with nationally chartered veteran service organizations (VSO’s) to assist with veteran services and outreach. Currently, the (M&V) code prevents such partnerships simply because of budget constraints and the lack of appropriations.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) reports that less than 10% of California veterans and their survivors receive the federal veteran benefits they are entitled. California is far below the 12 to 15% national average. This represents a significant loss of revenues both in income available for consumer spending (tax revenues) and funds provided to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities in California

Veteran Service Organizations (VSO’s) have the ability to use their network of hundreds of individual posts or chapters to supplement government agencies with outreach, benefit information and the processing of benefit claims. It is not the intent of the legislation to replace or reduce the current CDVA/CVSO infrastructure but rather to augment them.

According to statistics provided by the USDVA and the California Board of Equalization, California’s veterans received $2.7 billion in compensation and pension benefits for FY 2006 as a result of the work of VSOs on behalf of veterans. This generates $121 million in tax (sales, use and excise) revenue for the States general fund and in my opinion would fully justify and support budget apportion of at least the current levels and for increases in the out years to the CDVA, to fund both the CDVA and CVSO’s and further fund VSO’s . I also believe this taxable revenue would grow annually as more and more veterans in California are reached by the VSOs.

We ask for your support of AB-1814 - This is a win-win for veterans and California.