09/30/2008 GAAS:687:08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version | Email / Share
Governor Schwarzenegger Continues Commitment to California’s Veterans
Signs Legislation Extending Mental Health Services and Assisting Veterans in Screening for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger today announced he has signed SB
1401 by Senator Joe Simitian (D- Palo Alto) and AB
3083 by the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs; measures that will
extend mental health services to veterans and assist veterans in getting
screened for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. The
Governor also announced he has signed six additional bills that will benefit
California
veterans, military personnel and their families.
"I know I speak for all
Californians when I say the state has tremendous respect for its veterans and
the sacrifices they have made for our freedom - and the bills I have signed
demonstrate California's commitment to our veterans,
active duty personnel and the families who support them," said Governor
Schwarzenegger. "These measures recognize that current veterans returning from a
combat zone should be screened for Post Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain
Injuries as soon as they get home, and that they should have access to timely
and appropriate mental health services whether through the VA or the County
mental health system."
SB
1401 by Senator Joe Simitian (D- Palo Alto) requires the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the Military Department to develop plans to reach out to
Guard members or veterans returning to California from combat and assist them in
obtaining a screening for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain
Injury.
AB
3083 by the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs requires the Department
of Health Care Services (DHCS), in conjunction with the Department of Mental
Health (DMH), to seek all available federal funding for mental health services
for veterans. The bill also extends
mental health services
provided by the Adult and Older Adult Mental Health System of Care Act to
include veterans, and requires counties to provide mental health services to
veterans to the extent such services are available to other adults. The bill
defines a serious mental disorder or illness (SMI) to include bipolar disorder
and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and requires DMH to include services
for veterans within target population service standards.
Governor Schwarzenegger
also announced today that he has signed the following veterans-related
legislation:
SB
1353 by Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Montclair) authorizes a state
employee who is a member of the National Guard or Reserves to receive specified
compensation benefits for four additional years, if ordered to serve on and
after September 11, 2001, as a result of the War on
Terrorism.
SB
1534 by Senator Jim Battin (R-La Quinta) authorizes uniformed
public safety personnel in California to wear decorations or medals
authorized by the Military and Veterans Code, the U.S. Armed Forces, the
National Guard or the Military Reserve or Naval Militia on and around Veterans
Day and Memorial Day.
AB
190 by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) authorizes, after local
approval, veterans whose vehicles display one number of military
special-recognition license plates to park in metered parking spaces without
charge.
AB
2049 by Assemblymember Lori Saldaña (D-San Diego) requires the
Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a task force to review and make
recommendations regarding the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for
Military Children and to report to the Legislature by January 1,
2009.
AB
3065 by the Committee on Veterans Affairs enables veterans who have
retired from active military service, were honorably discharged from active duty
with a service-connected disability or honorably discharged from active duty to
apply for state civil service promotional
examinations.
SB
1495 by Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) allows a taxpayer to retain the
disabled veteran's property tax exemption in the case of a partial loss of the
taxpayer's home due to a misfortune or calamity, and a full or partial loss due
to a major disaster for which the governor has declared a state of
emergency.
Yesterday, Governor
Schwarzenegger announced he has signed
AB
2171 by Assemblymember Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) which begins the process towards the
construction of the Purple Heart Memorial in State Capitol
Park in Sacramento.
Last week the Governor
announced the signing of
SB
1455 by Senator Dave Cogdill
(R-Modesto), which authorizes the creation of the Gold Star Family License Plate
and allows a family member of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces killed on active
duty to apply for the plate containing a gold star and the words "Gold Star
Family." As a token of the state's appreciation for their sacrifice, the bill
provides a special waiver of some fees for Gold Star Families.
