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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09092014 - C.57RECOMMENDATION(S): 1) AMEND Board of Supervisors action of January 14, 2014 (item D-3), which adopted the 2014 State Legislative Platform, to include support for improved funding and care for U.S. military veterans and families, as recommended by the Legislation Committee. 2) AMEND Board of Supervisors action of June 24, 2014 (item C-28), which amended the 2014 Federal Legislative Platform, to include support for improved funding and care for U.S. military veterans and families, as recommended by the Legislation Committee. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact. BACKGROUND: At its June 5, 2014 meeting, the Legislation Committee approved amendments to the 2014 Federal Legislative Platform to address support for a broader range of veterans' issues. At its June 24, 2014 meeting, the Board of Supervisors adopted the amendments, as recommended by the Legislation Committee. At its August 7, 2014 meeting, the Legislation Committee reviewed and approved additional amendments to both the 2014 Federal and State Legislative Platforms to include support for improved funding and care of U.S. military veterans and families as well as support for replacement halls or facilities, and State funding at a minimum of $5.6 million. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 09/09/2014 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor ABSENT:Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: September 9, 2014 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: June McHuen, Deputy cc: C. 57 To:Board of Supervisors From:LEGISLATION COMMITTEE Date:September 9, 2014 Contra Costa County Subject:AMEND the 2014 Legislative Platforms to include support for improved funding and care of U.S. military veterans and families Today's action would amend the adopted 2014 Federal and State Legislative Platforms to provide advocacy support for legislation that would BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) increase the availability, accessibility, and utilization of veterans benefits, address improving on timeliness of VA benefits claim and providing VA healthcare, address the needs of unique sub-populations of Veterans, fund the replacement of veterans halls or facilities, and fund veterans services in California at a minimum of $5.6 million. The recommended amendments are included in the attachments to this report. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: The County would not have a position on improved funding and care of U.S. military veterans and families. ATTACHMENTS 2014 Federal Legislative Platform amendments 2014 State Legislative Platform amendments Adopted 2014 Federal Platform 2014 FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Veterans Benefits – The County will support legislation to increase availability, accessibility, and utilization of Veterans Benefits Within Contra Costa County, Veterans’ health care is provided by the VA Martinez Clinic, a division of the VA Northern California Healthcare System. Currently, access to enrollment in the VA healthcare system is limited to Veterans with a Service Connected disability of greater than 10%, special eligibility criteria (Purple Heart, former POW, Iraq & Afghanistan Vets within 5 years of discharge, etc.), and to Veterans with an annual gross income less than a geographically based threshold. Currently, VA emergency services are not available after hours or during weekends. The nearest VA emergency room is nearly 34 miles away from the VA Martinez Clinic. The County will support legislation that would expand enrollment eligibility (such as removing the income limit criteria) to all Veterans with an honorable discharge. Furthermore, the County will support legislation that would establish 24 hour VA emergency services at the VA Martinez clinic. In addition, the County will support legislation that will improve the timeliness and quality of both VA benefits claim decisions and VA healthcare services. Specifically, legislation that works toward improving on the expedited processing of claims and administering of benefits to populations with unique needs, such as homeless Veterans, Women Veterans, and Veterans experiencing service related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Veterans Halls – The County will support legislation to provide America’s veterans organizations with resources to make necessary repairs to or replacement of their meeting halls and facilities. Across America, the meeting halls and posts of Veterans Service Organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars serve as unofficial community centers. Unfortunately, many of these facilities are not compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards, are not earthquake retrofitted, or have deteriorated in recent years due to declining membership and reduced rental revenues as a result of the economic downturn. The County will support legislation that would create a competitive grant program for veterans’ organizations, classified by the IRS as 501c19 non-profit organizations and comprised primarily of past or present members of the United States Armed Forces and their family members, to use for repairs and improvements to their existing facilities. Contra Costa County 1 2014 STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Veterans Issues 148. SUPPORT legislation and budget actions that will continue the state's annual local assistance for County Veterans Service Offices at a minimum of the $5.6 million level. The eventual goal is to fully fund CVSOs by appropriating the full $11 million in local assistance funding as reflected in Military and Veterans Code Section 972.1(d). County Veterans Service Offices (CVSOs) play a vital role in the local veteran community, not only within the Veterans Affairs claims process, but in other aspects as well. This includes providing information about all veterans’ benefits (Federal, State and local), as well as providing claims assistance for all veteran-related benefits, referring veterans to ancillary community resources, providing hands- on development and case management services for claims and appeals and transporting local veterans to VA facilities.. 1. 149. SUPPORT legislation and budget actions that will provide veterans organizations with resources to make necessary repairs to their meeting halls and facilities. Across California, the meeting halls and posts of Veterans Service Organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars serve as unofficial community centers. Many of these facilities are not compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards, are not earthquake retrofitted, or have deteriorated in recent years due to declining membership and reduced rental revenues as a result of the economic downturn. The County will support legislation that would create a competitive grant program for veterans’ organizations, classified by the IRS as 501c19 non-profit organizations and comprised primarily of past or present members of the United States Armed Forces and their family members, to use for repairs and improvements to their existing facilities. . 150. SUPPORT legislation that will improve the timeliness and quality of both VA benefits claim decisions and VA healthcare services. Specifically, legislation that works toward improving on the expedited processing of claims, providing VA healthcare, and administering of benefits to populations with unique needs, such as homeless Veterans, Women Veterans, and Veterans experiencing service related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or service related Traumatic Brain Injury. The County will support legislation that would create a funding program for veterans’ organizations, classified by the IRS as 501c19 non-profit organizations and comprised primarily of past or present members of the United States Armed Forces and their family members, to use for repairs and improvements to their existing facilities.