CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION
CALMOAA Legislative Report July 18, 2023
| AB 46 | (Ramos D) Personal income taxes: exclusion: Military Services Retirement and Surviving Spouse Benefit Payment Act. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/13/2023-Measure version as amended on July 12 corrected. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: Would, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2034, exclude from gross income retirement pay received by a taxpayer from the federal government for service performed in the uniformed services, as defined, during the taxable year. The bill, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2034, would also exclude from gross income annuity payments received by a qualified taxpayer, as defined, pursuant to a United States Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan during the taxable year. The bill would make related findings and declarations. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support/Sponsor | |||||||||
| AB 293 | (Alanis R) Lifetime hunting and sport fishing licenses: Gold Star Family members. | ||||||||
| Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 3/29/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 5/19/2023-A. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Would require, upon application to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, lifetime hunting licenses and lifetime sport fishing licenses to be issued at no cost to Gold Star Family members who meet certain eligibility requirements. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 298 | (Mathis R) Honoring Our Blind Veterans Act. | ||||||||
| Status: 6/27/2023-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. | |||||||||
| Location: 6/27/2023-S. THIRD READING | |||||||||
| Summary: Would authorize a nonprofit organization that represents blind veterans, in consultation with the Department of General Services, to plan, construct, and maintain a braille American flag to serve as a monument to the blind veterans of California and the United States in the State Capitol Building. The bill would specify duties for the Department of General Services in connection with the planning, construction, and maintenance of the monument. The bill would prohibit the construction of the monument until the Joint Rules Committee of the California Legislature approves and adopts a plan for the monument and the committee and the Department of Finance determine that sufficient private funding is available to construct and maintain the monument. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 308 | (Alanis R) State parks: free day use pass: Gold Star Family members. | ||||||||
| Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/19/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 5/19/2023-A. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Would require a pass for free day use of any unit of the state park system that is operated by the state to be issued to Gold Star Family members, as provided. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 322 | (Mathis R) Veteran and California National Guard Supplemental Orientation Act of 2023. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: Would, commencing no later than the 2025–26 academic year, require each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and would request each campus of the University of California, to include within first-year student and transfer student orientations the location and contact information of the campus point of contact for students who are veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States and members of the California State Guard and the California National Guard, and their dependents, make available in hard copy form at the location of the campus point of contact a document that includes information on polices, resources, and services for these students and their dependents, as specified, and post the document, along with other information available to these students and their dependents, on the campus’s internet website. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 531 | (Irwin D) The Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/13/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (July 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/13/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: Would enact the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023 which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,680,000,000 to finance grants for the acquisition of capital assets for, and the construction and rehabilitation of, unlocked, voluntary, and community-based treatment settings and residential care settings and also for housing for veterans and others who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness and are living with a behavioral health challenge. The bill would provide for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 569 | (Garcia D) California State University: Cybersecurity Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships Pilot Program. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/13/2023-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0.). In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/13/2023-A. ENROLLMENT | |||||||||
| Summary: Current law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California State University to select any number of California State University campuses, with preference given to campuses that have or are developing regional pipeline programs in cybersecurity with the California Community Colleges, to participate in the pilot program through an application and selection process. Current law requires each selected campus to create a pilot program with goals and metrics, measure the impact and results of its pilot program, and annually share the impact and results with the chancellor’s office. Current law requires the chancellor’s office to annually report the impact and results from each selected campus’s pilot program to the Legislature. This bill would require the chancellor’s office, on or before July 1, 2028, to submit a report to the Legislature on the pilot program, as provided. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 684 | (Ta R) County veterans service officers: additional resources. | ||||||||
| Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/3/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 5/19/2023-A. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Current law requires the Department of Veterans Affairs 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, to counties that comply with certain conditions This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, provide a stipend to counties that host an active United States military base for the purposes of maintaining a county veterans service officer, at least part time, at each active United States military base in the county, subject to base approval. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| No Position | |||||||||
| AB 718 | (Ta R) Veterans: mental health. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: The Department of Veterans Affairs, among other services, provides veterans and their dependents and survivors with assistance in processing service-related disability claims, assistance in obtaining affordable housing, and information about health ailments associated with military service. This bill would require the department to establish a program to fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, an academic study of mental health among women veterans in California, as specified. The bill would require the department to submit a report summarizing the findings and recommendations of the study to the Legislature no later than July 31, 2025. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 883 | (Mathis R) Business licenses: United States Department of Defense SkillBridge program. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: 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. This bill would additionally require, on and after July 1, 2024, a board to expedite, and authorize a board to assist, in the initial licensure process for an applicant who supplies satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant is an active duty member of a regular component of the Armed Forces of the United States enrolled in the United States Department of Defense SkillBridge program, as specified, and would provide that regulations to administer those provisions be adopted in accordance with the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act. This bill contains other existing laws. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 988 | (Mathis R) Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act: veteran and military data reporting. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/3/2023-In Senate. Held at Desk. | |||||||||
| Location: 6/29/2023-S. DESK | |||||||||
| Summary: Current federal law, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, designates the 3-digit telephone number “988” as the universal number within the United States for the purpose of the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system operating through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, maintained by the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, and the Veterans Crisis Line, which is maintained by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Current law creates a separate surcharge, beginning January 1, 2023, on each access line for each month, or part thereof, for which a service user subscribes with a service supplier. Current law sets the 988 surcharge for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years at $0.08 per access line per month and beginning January 1, 2025, at an amount based on a specified formula not to exceed $0.30 per access line per month. Current law authorizes the 911 and 988 surcharges to be combined into a single-line item, as described. Existing law provides for specified costs to be paid by the fees prior to distribution to the Office of Emergency Services. The Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act creates the 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund and requires the fees to be deposited along with other specified moneys into the fund. Current law provides that, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the funds be used for specified purposes and in accordance with specified priorities. Current law requires the Office of Emergency Services to require an entity seeking moneys available through the fund to annually file an expenditure and outcomes report containing specified information, including, among other things, the number of individuals served and the outcomes for individuals served, | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 1328 | (Gipson D) Cosmetology Licensure Compact. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(10). (Last location was B., P. & E.D. on 5/31/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 7/14/2023-S. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Would enact the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, the purpose of which is to facilitate the interstate practice and regulation of cosmetology. The compact would require the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology to grant a multistate license to practice cosmetology to an applicant who meets specified eligibility requirements, including holding an active and unencumbered license to practice cosmetology issued by the board in this state. The compact would require the state to recognize a multistate license issued by each member state as authorizing the licensee to practice cosmetology in this state. The compact would require the board to select a delegate to serve on the Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission, a joint governmental agency consisting of all member states that have enacted the compact, and would enact specified provisions relating to the establishment, operation, powers, and duties of the commission. The compact would specify procedures for the adoption of rules by the commission for purposes of implementing and administering the compact and would state that the rules of the commission shall have the force of law, except as specified. The compact would require the board to take specified actions relating to the administration and enforcement of the compact, including receiving complaints about individuals practicing cosmetology and communicating investigative information about any adverse action to the other member states through a data system, as specified. The compact would authorize the board to charge a fee to grant a multistate license or for the renewal of a multistate license. The bill would authorize the commission to levy and collect an annual assessment from the state and impose fees on licensees of member states to whom it grants a multistate license to cover the cost of operations and activities of the commission. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 1350 | (Soria D) Veterans: memorials. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: Would create the Capitol Park Veterans Memorial Fund. The bill would continuously appropriate the fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of the maintenance and rehabilitation of existing memorials in the State Capitol. The bill would make the department responsible for administering the fund. The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to, in consultation with the California Veterans Board, prioritize memorials that do not have formal support from another body for their maintenance, including, but not limited to, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of General Services to collaborate pursuant to a memorandum of agreement to carry out these provisions. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 1361 | (Hoover R) Property taxation: veteran’s exemption: preliminary application. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/12/2023-Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. CONSENT CALENDAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Current property law, pursuant to the authorization of the California Constitution, provides a disabled veteran’s tax exemption on specified property, as described. Current law sets forth procedures to claim property tax exemptions. This bill would authorize a county assessor to provide written or electronic determination of preliminary eligibility for the disabled veteran’s tax exemption. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 1386 | (Gabriel D) Veterans housing: tenant referrals. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: The Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Act of 2014 requires the California Housing Finance Agency, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (referred to collectively as “the departments”) to establish and implement programs that focus on veterans at risk for homelessness or experiencing temporary or chronic homelessness, as specified. In this regard, current law requires the departments to establish and implement programs that, among other things, ensure projects combine housing and supportive services. Current law requires the departments to ensure at least 50% of funds awarded for capital development are used to provide housing to veterans with extremely low incomes, and requires that at least 60% of units funded targeting extremely low income households are supportive housing. This bill would authorize an entity tasked with making referrals of units targeted to extremely low income households to match prospective secondary tenants with incomes at or below 60% of the area median income that are receiving income as a result of service-connected disability if a qualified tenant is unable to be matched to and accept placement in an available unit within 28 days of the unit becoming available. If a secondary tenant is unable to be matched to and accept placement in an available unit within 14 days, the bill would authorize the entity to match a veteran experiencing homelessness with an income at or below 60% of the area median income, regardless of the source of the income, in an available unit. The bill would prohibit the rate of rent for a qualified unit that is matched with a secondary tenant or other veteran experiencing homelessness pursuant to these provisions from exceeding the rate of rent that would have been charged had the unit been occupied by an extremely low income household. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| No Position | |||||||||
| AB 1452 | (Mathis R) State Capitol: Iraq Afghanistan Kuwait Veterans Memorial monument. | ||||||||
| Status: 6/27/2023-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. | |||||||||
| Location: 6/27/2023-S. THIRD READING | |||||||||
| Summary: Would authorize a nonprofit organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait in consultation with the Department of General Services, to plan, construct, and maintain a monument to the veterans of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait on the grounds of the State Capitol. The bill would require the nonprofit organization to submit a plan for the monument to the Joint Rules Committee for its review and approval. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 1462 | (Patterson, Jim R) Veteran overdose deaths. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: This bill would require the State Department of Public Health to access data within the electronic death registration system to compile a report on veteran drug overdose deaths in California and require the department to annually provide that report to the Legislature and the Department of Veteran Affairs on or before March 15 each year. The bill would require the report to include a cross-tabulation of the specified data and compare it to the data from the previous year. The bill would also require the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard to reflect overdose deaths by veterans. This bill contains other existing laws. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| AB 1474 | (Reyes D) California Statewide Housing Plan. | ||||||||
| Status: 6/29/2023-From Consent Calendar. Ordered to third reading. | |||||||||
| Location: 6/29/2023-S. THIRD READING | |||||||||
| Summary: Current law requires the California Statewide Housing Plan to incorporate specified segments, including, among others, a housing strategy that coordinates the housing assistance and activities of state and local agencies, including the provision of housing assistance for various population groups, including, but not limited to, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and other specific population groups as deemed appropriate by the department. Current law, to the extent possible, requires the department to consult with various state departments, including the California Department of Aging and the State Department of Social Services, in developing that housing strategy. This bill would add veterans to the list of population groups included in the housing strategy described above. The bill would require the department to also consult with the Department of Veterans Affairs in developing the housing strategy, to the extent possible. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| No Position | |||||||||
| AB 1605 | (Gallagher R) High schools: military services: United States Space Force. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: Current law prohibits each school district offering instruction in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, that provides on-campus access to employers, from prohibiting access to the military services. Current law defines “military services” for these purposes to include the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, or any reserve component of those federal forces, the National Guard, the State Guard, and the active militia. This bill would additionally prohibit each county office of education and charter school offering instruction in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, that provides on-campus access to employers, from prohibiting access to the military services. The bill would expressly include the United States Space Force in that definition. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SB 73 | (Seyarto R) Employment policy: voluntary veterans’ preference. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(10). (Last location was JUD. on 6/21/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 7/14/2023-A. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Would enact the Voluntary Veterans’ Preference Employment Policy Act to authorize a private employer to establish and maintain a written veterans’ preference employment policy, to be applied uniformly to hiring decisions, to give a voluntary preference for hiring a veteran over another qualified applicant. The bill would require a private employer with a veterans’ preference employment policy to annually report to the Civil Rights Department the number of veterans hired under the preference policy and any demographic information about those veterans that the employer obtained in response to the department’s reporting requirements. Under the bill, failure to submit that report would render any preference granted by the employer ineligible for the protections provided by this bill. The bill would require the department to report that information, in addition to the number of discrimination claims received based on an employer’s veterans’ preference employment policy, to specified legislative policy committees by July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2028. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SB 82 | (Seyarto R) Property taxation: disabled veterans’ exemption: eligibility letters. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-A. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: Current property tax law provides, pursuant to the authorization of the California Constitution, a disabled veteran’s property tax exemption for the principal place of residence of a veteran or a veteran’s spouse, including an unmarried surviving spouse, if the veteran, because of an injury incurred in military service, is blind in both eyes, has lost the use of 2 or more limbs, or is totally disabled, as those terms are defined, or if the veteran has, as a result of a service-connected injury or disease, died while on active duty in military service. This bill would require a county assessor to accept an electronically generated letter of service-connected disability, as defined, in lieu of an original letter of service-connected disability, at the discretion of the claimant, for purposes of verifying eligibility for the above-described exemption. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SB 492 | (Eggman D) Pretrial diversion for veterans. | ||||||||
| Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/10/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 5/19/2023-S. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Current law provides for the diversion of specified criminal offenders in alternate sentencing and treatment programs. Current law provides for a pretrial diversion program for a defendant who was, or currently is, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, who may be suffering from sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or mental health problems as a result of the defendant’s military service. Current law authorizes the court, with the consent of the defendant and a waiver of the defendant’s speedy trial right, to postpone prosecution, either temporarily or permanently, of a criminal offense and place the defendant in a pretrial diversion program. This bill would add felony offenses, as specified, to the pretrial diversion program for a defendant who was, or currently is, a member of the Armed Forces of the Unites States. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SB 783 | (Archuleta D) Veterans: suicide. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(10). (Last location was M. & V.A. on 6/8/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 7/14/2023-A. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Would authorize the Counties of Los Angeles and Nevada to create a veteran suicide prevention training pilot program to offer individuals in each county specialized training and certification in suicide prevention with military-connected populations. The bill would require the program to train individuals to identify indicators of elevated suicide risk and provide emergency crisis intervention and referrals for veterans, as specified. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| No Position | |||||||||
| SB 811 | (Jones R) Teacher credentialing: Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(10). (Last location was ED. on 6/15/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) | |||||||||
| Location: 7/14/2023-A. 2 YEAR | |||||||||
| Summary: Current law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other duties, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Under existing law, California is a party to The Interstate Agreement on Qualification of Educational Personnel, a compact designed to support the movement of teachers and other professional educational personnel among the states party to it, and to authorize specific interstate educational personnel contracts to achieve that end.This bill would ratify the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, the purpose of which is to facilitate the mobility of teachers across the member states, with the goal of supporting teachers through a new pathway to licensure. The compact would, among other things, require member states, in their sole discretion, to make certain determinations about teacher licensure for teachers from other member states, as provided, and create and establish a joint public agency known as the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission. This compact would only become effective if the compact statute is enacted into law in ten member states, as provided. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SB 871 | (Archuleta D) Property taxation: homeowners’, veterans’, and disabled veterans’ exemptions. | ||||||||
| Status: 5/8/2023-May 15 hearing postponed by committee. | |||||||||
| Location: 5/3/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: The California Constitution and existing property tax law establish a veterans’ exemption in the amount of $4,000, as specified, for a veteran who meets certain military service requirements, and generally exempts from property taxation the same value of property of a deceased veteran’s unmarried spouse and parents. The California Constitution and existing property tax law establish a disabled veteran’s exemption in the amount of $100,000 or $150,000 for the principal place of residence of a veteran or a veteran’s spouse, as specified. Current property tax law establishing the homeowners’ exemption specifies that the exemption may not be applied to a property on which the owner receives the veteran’s exemption. This bill would remove this specification and would instead prohibit the application of the homeowners’ exemption to a property on which the owner receives another exemption, except for the veterans’ exemption or the disabled veterans’ exemption. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SB 873 | (Bradford D) Prescription drugs: cost sharing. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/12/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (July 11). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 7/11/2023-A. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: This bill, commencing no later than January 1, 2025, would require an enrollee’s or insured’s defined cost sharing for each prescription drug to be calculated at the point of sale based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to 90% of all rebates received, or to be received, in connection with the dispensing or administration of the drug. The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to, among other things, pass through to each enrollee or insured at the point of sale a good faith estimate of the enrollee’s or insured’s decrease in cost sharing. The bill would require a health care service plan or health insurer to calculate an enrollee’s or insured’s defined cost sharing and provide that information to the dispensing pharmacy, as specified. The bill would require the department and the commissioner to submit an annual report on the impact of these provisions to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, as specified. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 1, 2027. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SCA 6 | (Archuleta D) Property taxation: veterans’ exemption. | ||||||||
| Status: 5/9/2023-From committee: Be adopted and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (May 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. | |||||||||
| Location: 5/8/2023-S. APPR. | |||||||||
| Summary: The California Constitution declares that all property is taxable and establishes or authorizes various exemptions from tax for real property, including a homeowners’ exemption in the amount of $7,000 of the full value of a dwelling unless the dwelling receives another real property exemption. If the Legislature increases the homeowners’ exemption, the California Constitution requires that the Legislature provide a benefit increase to qualified renters comparable to the average increase in benefits to homeowners. This measure would allow a dwelling that receives the veterans’ exemption or the disabled veteran’s exemption to also receive the homeowners’ exemption. The measure would authorize the Legislature to exempt property eligible for the veterans’ exemption in an amount up to the full value of the property. If the Legislature increases the homeowners’ exemption, the measure would require that the Legislature provide the same increase in the veterans’ exemption, except as limited by the full value of the property. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
| SJR 4 | (Ochoa Bogh R) Veteran health care. | ||||||||
| Status: 7/7/2023-Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 117, Statutes of 2023. | |||||||||
| Location: 6/26/2023-S. CHAPTERED | |||||||||
| Summary: Would urge the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to locate satellite Veterans Health Administration medical clinics on or near state veterans home campuses and further urges the United States Congress to provide federal funding for the operation of such satellite clinics. | |||||||||
| Position | |||||||||
| Support | |||||||||
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CALMOAA-Fact-Sheet-AB-46-May.25update_17July2023MOAA’s California Council of Chapters (CALMOAA) is hoping an emphasis on economic development will help convince state lawmakers to eliminate taxes on all uniformed services retirement income and DoD payments to survivors.
The legislation being championed by California Assemblymember James C. Ramos this year will exempt retirees with 20 or more years of service, regardless of age, as well as pensions received by surviving spouses and veterans of the U.S. Public Health Service and NOAA. This law would take effect in the 2024 tax year and run through 2034.
California is the only state not providing at least some income tax exemption for military retirees, many of whom retire in their 40s or 50s. A December 2021 study conducted by the California Research Bureau found industries associated with DoD, the VA, and the Department of Homeland Security were directly or indirectly responsible for $169 billion of economic activity in California since 2019. That is more than 5% of California’s economy, according to the study.
“Military retirees bring benefits to our state such as stability, job skills used in second careers, and federal funding,” stated Ramos in an email to MOAA. “It’s important to make California more veteran friendly by meaningfully acknowledging the contributions and personal sacrifices made by our former armed services personnel and their families. … It’s time for California to do better by our veterans.”
Previous bills to remove the tax exemption in the last five years have all died in the appropriations committee.
“We are focusing on the workforce development and the technical and vocational jobs that retired military can help fill as part of California’s workforce,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Breiten, USN (Ret), who serves as legislative affairs vice-president for CALMOAA.
CALMOAA has solicited hundreds of letters that were sent to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and has received support from AMVETS, local affiliates of the Association of U.S. Army, the San Diego Military Advisory Council, the California State Commanders Veterans Council, the Department of California Marine Corps League, and various chambers of commerce.
“We have met with legislators on both sides of the aisle and all have voiced support and realize the importance of military retirees calling California home upon retirement from the military,” Breiten said.
Assembly member Ramos. He has officially introduced AB 46 Personal income taxes: Military Services Retirement and Surviving Spouse Benefit Payments Link: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB46
California-AB-46Work Force Letter
Date
The Honorable Governor Gavin Newsom
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, California 95814
Subj: Uniformed Services Retirement Pay and Survivor Benefits Personal Income Tax Exclusion for California
Dear Governor Newsom:
Congratulations on being re-elected as our Governor. Your re-election is testimony of your support for your constituents who include Active Duty Military and Retirees, Surviving Spouses and their families.
Assemblymember Ramos will introduce a bill in the 2023 California legislature to exempt Military Retirees and Surviving Spouses from California Income Tax. Military Retirees have proven years of experience in the Science, Technical, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Medical occupations. An income tax exclusion would be an incentive for the Military Retirees to remain in California providing California with an available workforce to fill many of the almost 40,000 technical and over 20,000 medical field job postings in California. These job postings include all levels of software engineering, cybersecurity, aerospace, systems engineering, artificial intelligence, biochemistry, physicians, nurses, and management. It is anticipated this workspace will grow by 2% a year. Many Military Retirees, Surviving Spouses and children will use their government educational benefits to pursue advanced degrees in STEM and medical occupations providing a much-needed workforce in California.
According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, Military personnel are projected to enter the civilian workforce in these STEM and Medical occupations.
After 20 years of Military service, servicemembers are eligible for retirement, many in their 40s. Military retirees are highly skilled with experience in management, task prioritization, resource management, attention to detail, team building, and communications. Most importantly many Military retirees have security clearances which is required to work in California’s expanding National Security workspace.
Military retirees pay taxes on their second career earnings which is usually greater than their taxable active duty pay. Instead of losing a taxpayer and family, California would be retaining a taxpayer with increased earnings and the Military Retirees’ family tax revenues.
A state income tax exemption for Military retirees and Surviving Spouses would not only retain and but also attract these highly skilled workers, while exhibiting California’s appreciation for their years of service safeguard our nation.
California is in a unique position in that it can both honor our Military retirees while at the same time enhancing its STEM and medical workforce while bolstering its tax base with higher-earning Military Retirees and Surviving Spouses.
Sincerely,
Economic-Impact-to-CANATIONAL LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS
Please see link below to find your representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives and the State of California (Assembly and Senate):
U.S. House of Representatives https://www.house.gov/representatives
California Representative and State Senator http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov