Bill Text: CA SB469 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 469 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Veterans' cemeteries: fees.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-2)

Status: (Passed) 2009-10-11 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 589, Statutes of 2009. [SB469 Detail]

Download: California-2009-SB469-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: SB 469	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 22, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Aanestad

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to  amend Section 1400   add Chapter
10.5 (commencing with Section 1480) to Division 6  of the
Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 469, as amended, Aanestad.  Northern California
Veterans Cemetery: fees.   Veterans' cemeteries: fees.

   Existing law  requires the Department of Veterans Affairs,
in voluntary cooperation with the Shasta County Board of Supervisors
and the boards of supervisors of other participating northern
California counties, as specified, to design, develop, and construct
a state-owned and state-operated Northern California Veterans
Cemetery located in Northern California   provides for
the establishment and operation of certain state-owned and operated
veterans' cemeteries  . Existing law authorizes honorably
discharged veterans and their spouses and children to be interred at
 the   cemetery, and requires a fee of $500
  these   cemeteries, and provides for a fee
 to be charged for each spouse or child interred at the cemetery
 , as specified  .
   This bill would authorize the fee for the interment of the spouses
and children of honorably discharged veterans  in these
cemeteries  to be waived if the cemetery administrator
determines that the families of the spouses or children do not have
sufficient means to pay for the costs of interment, and would require
any costs for these interments to be paid from nonstate funds. This
bill would require the cemetery administrator to seek reimbursements,
as specified, and would authorize the cemetery administrator to
solicit private donations, to offset any fees lost as a result of
this fee waiver.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section
1480) is added to Division 6 of the   Military and Veterans
Code   , to read:  
      CHAPTER 10.5.  STATE VETERANS CEMETERIES FEE WAIVER


   1480.  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the fee for
the interment of the spouses or children of eligible veterans in a
cemetery operated under this division may be waived if the cemetery
administrator determines that the families of the spouses or children
do not have sufficient means to pay for the costs of interment.
   (b) Any costs for the interment of the spouses or children of
eligible veterans who received a waiver pursuant to subdivision (a)
shall be paid from nonstate funds.
   (c) The cemetery administrator shall seek reimbursements, if any
are available, from federal, county, and other local agencies to
offset any fees lost as a result of the waiver authorized pursuant to
subdivision (a).
   (d) The cemetery administrator may solicit private donations to
offset any fees lost as a result of the waiver authorized pursuant to
subdivision (a).  
  SECTION 1.    Section 1400 of the Military and
Veterans Code is amended to read:
   1400.  (a) (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs, in voluntary
cooperation with the Shasta County Board of Supervisors and the
boards of supervisors of other participating northern California
counties as specified in Section 1401, shall design, develop, and
construct a state-owned and state-operated Northern California
Veterans Cemetery that shall be located in northern California.
   (2) The department shall oversee and coordinate the design,
development, and construction of the cemetery.
   (b) (1) Those eligible for interment in the cemetery are all
honorably discharged veterans and their spouses and children. A fee
of five hundred dollars ($500) shall be charged for each spouse or
child interred in the cemetery.
   (2) For purposes of this subdivision, the department shall adopt
regulations to specify the eligibility requirements for interment in
the cemetery.
   (3) All fees received pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be deposited
in the Northern California Veterans Cemetery Perpetual Maintenance
Fund created pursuant to Section 1401.
   (c) (1) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), the fee
for the interment of the spouses or children of eligible veterans may
be waived if the cemetery administrator determines that the families
of the spouses or children do not have sufficient means to pay for
the costs of interment.
   (2) Any costs for the interment of the spouses or children of
eligible veterans who received a waiver pursuant to paragraph (1)
shall be paid from nonstate funds.
   (3) The cemetery administrator shall seek reimbursements, if any
are available, from federal, county, and other local agencies to
offset any fees lost as a result of the waiver authorized pursuant to
paragraph (1).
   (4) The cemetery administrator may solicit private donations to
offset any fees lost as a result of the waiver authorized pursuant to
paragraph (1).
   (5) Any moneys received pursuant to this subdivision to offset
fees shall be deposited in the Northern California Veterans Cemetery
Perpetual Maintenance Fund, in addition to the fees that are required
to be deposited pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b).