It’s that time of year, with this year’s work in the statehouse nearing an end.
And that means it’s down to the wire for many California state legislators’ priorities. Friday, Sept. 12, is the final day for the state Assembly and state Senate to pass bills.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at four that are still in play, and crossed some major legislative hurdles, last week.
Veterans’ mental health: An effort to study mental health among women veterans in California got the OK from the Senate last week.
The bill from Assemblymember Tri Ta, R-Westminster, is meant to figure out what contributes to mental health challenges for female veterans in California so that the state can ensure it is offering the right support and preventative care. It requires the California Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a report with the study’s findings to the legislature by June 30, 2029.
The bill cites a 2011 California Women Veterans study that found women underutilize state benefits and do not participate in veteran events or organizations as much as their male counterparts.
“Female veterans die by suicide at a disproportionately high rate. This is a tragedy, and our society should not and cannot stand for it,” Ta said. “My bill establishes a framework to bring forward expert policy recommendations, ensuring female veterans receive the care they earned and deserve.”
The bill has gotten broad bipartisan support in the statehouse.
Another bill from Ta — this one ensures dependents of active duty military members stationed outside of California, but still maintain their residency in the state, are eligible for Cal Grants and the Middle-Class Scholarship Program — also passed out of the Senate last week.
OC veterans cemetery: A bill to fast-track a veterans cemetery planned for Anaheim Hills’ Gypsum Canyon received unanimous support last week.
The bill from Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, exempts the project from further review under CEQA, California’s landmark environmental protection law.
“After years of advocating for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery, AB 571 is the crucial tool we need to deliver on a promise we owe to our veterans and their families,” Quirk-Silva said in the bill analysis report. “This cemetery will be their final resting place, a place of honor and dignity. The time has come for Orange County to be home to the heroes who defended our country. We cannot afford to delay any longer.”
Local finance transparency: An effort from Sen. Steven Choi, R-Irvine, to impose fines on local finance officers who do not submit their annual reports within 10 months of the end of a fiscal year is still in the works.
The bill would impose a fine of up to $5,000, depending on the local agency’s total revenue. The idea, according to Choi’s office, is to ensure “an expectation for responsible financial stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”
The standard practice, according to Choi, is to complete and submit financial audits within six months of the end of a fiscal year. However, he said, some municipalities have not completed audits for the fiscal year that ended in June 2022.
This bill has also received broad bipartisan support, and it has no opposition on file, according to the legislation’s analysis report.
Student overdose protections: From Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, is a bill meant to protect students who call 911 for a drug-related overdose emergency. It passed out of the legislature last week and is awaiting a decision by the governor.
Some college policies will lead to a student’s suspension, expulsion or other academic discipline if they are found to be near drugs, which discourages students from reaching out for help during an overdose emergency, according to Haney’s office. The bill gives students “limited immunity” from discipline, once per academic term, for receiving emergency medical assistance after calling 911.
“No student should have to choose between saving a life and continuing their education,” Haney said. “During an overdose, hesitation can be deadly. AB 602 makes it clear that calling 911 will never cost you your academic future.”