Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a drivers license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a drivers license or identification card to request the word VETERAN be printed on the face of the drivers license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified.

This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would prohibit a fee from being charged for the above-described request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs, or (2) a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person, in accordance with specified provisions.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a drivers license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a drivers license or identification card to request the word VETERAN be printed on the face of the drivers license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified.

This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would prohibit a fee from being charged for the above-described request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs, or (2) a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person, in accordance with specified provisions.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a drivers license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a drivers license or identification card to request the word VETERAN be printed on the face of the drivers license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified.

This bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would prohibit a fee from being charged for the above-described request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs, or (2) a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person, in accordance with specified provisions.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a drivers license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a drivers license or identification card to request the word VETERAN be printed on the face of the drivers license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified.

This bill bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would prohibit a fee from being charged for the above-described request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs programs, or (2) a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person, as defined. The bill would authorize a homeless services provider, as defined, that has knowledge of the persons housing status to verify the persons status for purposes of this provision. The bill would require the determination of eligibility of these persons to be subject to regulations adopted by the department, as specified. in accordance with specified provisions.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a drivers license to an applicant when the department determines that the applicant is lawfully entitled to a license. Existing law allows an in-person applicant for a drivers license or identification card to request the word VETERAN be printed on the face of the drivers license or identification card, subject to certain requirements, including, among others, verification of veteran status, as specified, and payment of a $5 fee, which the department is authorized to increase by regulation, in an amount not to exceed $15, as specified.

This bill would prohibit a fee from being charged for the above-described request if made by (1) a person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs or (2) a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person, as defined. The bill would authorize a homeless services provider, as defined, that has knowledge of the persons housing status to verify the persons status for purposes of this provision. The bill would require the determination of eligibility of these persons to be subject to regulations adopted by the department, as specified.

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 363

Author:(Quirk-Silva)

As Amended Ver:September 8, 2017

Majority vote

Original Committee Reference: TRANS.

SUMMARY: Prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from charging the one-time $5 fee to a person applying for a driver's license or identification card with a veteran designation if the applicant is eligible to obtain an original or replacement card at a reduced fee or is homeless and can verify his or her status as such.

The Senate amendments:

1. Recast provisions related to the determination of income eligibility for a reduced fee.
2. Delay the operative date of this section until July 1, 2019.
3. Make other technical and conforming changes.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Allows a person applying for a driver's license or identification card in person at a DMV field office to request the word "VETERAN" to be printed on the face of the driver's license or identification card.
2. Upon payment of a fee and verification of an applicant's veteran status, requires DMV to print the word "VETERAN" on the face of a driver's license or identification card, as specified.
3. Requires DMV to charge a one-time fee of $5 to a person applying for a driver's license or identification card with a veteran designation and authorizes DMV to increase the fee by regulation to not more than $15 to cover its reasonable costs.
4. Prohibits DMV from charging a fee for an original or replacement identification card to a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person or homeless child or youth, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

1. One-time DMV programming costs of approximately $100,000 in 2018-19 to provide for the fee waiver for eligible applicants. (Motor Vehicle Account)
2. Unknown, likely minor foregone revenues, potentially in the low tens of thousands annually beginning in 2019-20, depending on the number of new driver's license and ID card applicants requesting a "Veteran" designation who meet the eligibility criteria. (Motor Vehicle Account)
3. One-time DMV costs of approximately $50,000 in 2018-19 in staff time to develop and adopt applicable regulations. (Motor Vehicle Account)

COMMENTS: In 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 935 (Frazier), Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014, requiring DMV to issue driver's licenses and identification cards with a veteran designation to eligible applicants, beginning in November 2015. At the time of the passage of AB 935, the veteran designation was intended to give veterans an efficient means of proving their eligibility for benefits and discounts instead of carrying their discharge papers, the DD-214, on their persons at all times. At the time, a San Diego Union Tribune article found that, "California veterans may be losing out on $400 million in federal benefits." AB 935 required DMV to charge a one-time $5 fee to cover the department's implementation costs, estimated at the time at $1.05 million for 2014-15 and 2015-16, and ongoing costs exceeding $750,000 in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Because a driver's license currently has a renewal term of five years, this one-time $5 fee translates to $1 per year for the first five years of holding the license, and no charge for every year of the license after it is renewed.

As of March 2017, DMV has issued over 40,000 driver's licenses and identification cards with veteran designations since it began offering the designations in November 2015. According to California Association of County Veteran Service Officers, nearly 9,000 additional California veterans are now receiving federal veterans' benefits that they were unaware they were eligible for, due to the veteran designation program. These benefits total over $11 million in monthly payments to California veterans, with an additional $6 million in retroactive payments to these same veterans. This roughly translates to an average of $275 in benefits per veteran per month, far surpassing the one-time fee of $5 for receiving the designation.

This bill would waive the one-time $5 fee for applicants that are homeless or are determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs, such as CALWORKs. The author intends to make it easier for these veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services that they have earned. According to the author, 16,461 veterans, or approximately 0.9% of all California veterans are homeless, with 26% of all homeless veterans in the United States living in California. Obtaining a driver's license or identification card with a veteran designation may make it easier to move from homelessness into shelters and permanent housing. Additionally, the author notes that the no-cost designation may also be helpful to medical and law enforcement entities who deal with homeless veterans who may be suffering from trauma as a result of their service.

Please see the policy committee analysis for full discussion of this bill.

Analysis Prepared by: Justin Behrens / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0002219

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 363

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE TRANS. & HOUSING COMMITTEE: 12-0, 6/20/17

AYES: Beall, Cannella, Allen, Atkins, Bates, McGuire, Mendoza, Morrell, Roth, Skinner, Wieckowski, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Gaines

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-0, 9/1/17

AYES: Lara, Beall, Bradford, Hill, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Bates, Nielsen

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/30/17 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill waives the $5 fee on a driver’s license or identification (ID) card with a “VETERAN” designation.

Senate Floor Amendments of 9/8/17 require an applicant to have his or her veteran status verified by a county veteran service officer, to help ensure that applicants are then connected to any services for which they may be eligible.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Authorizes the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue a driver’s license to a qualified applicant and authorizes DMV to charge a fee of $30.
2. Authorizes DMV to issue an ID card to an eligible applicant and authorizes DMV to charge a fee of $26, except:
   1. DMV must issue a “Senior Citizen” ID card free of charge to an individual 62 years or older who applies for it.
   2. DMV must charge a reduced fee of $8 for an ID card for an individual with a current income level meeting the eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs.
   3. DMV must issue a free original or replacement ID card to an individual who can verify his or her status as homeless.
   4. DMV must issue a free original or replacement driver’s license or ID card to an individual who was exonerated and released from prison within the previous six months.
3. Authorizes an applicant to request the word “VETERAN” to be printed on the face of his or her driver’s license or ID card. Requires DMV to issue a veteran driver’s license or ID card upon verification of his or her veteran status.
4. Requires DMV to charge a one-time fee of $5 for a veteran driver’s license or ID card. Authorizes DMV to increase this fee by regulation to up to $15 to cover the cost of issuing the licenses and ID cards.

This bill:

1. Prohibits DMV from charging the $5 fee for a veteran driver’s license or ID card to an applicant as follows:
   1. An individual who has been determined to be eligible to obtain an original or replacement ID card at a reduced fee under the Reduced-Fee ID Card Program.
   2. An individual who can verify his or her status as homeless and has been determined to be eligible to obtain an original or replacement ID card at a reduced fee under the Reduced-Fee ID Card Program.
2. Provides that this bill shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

Background

Under DMV’s Reduced-Fee ID Card Program, individuals who qualify for public assistance programs such as CalWORKs, SNAP/CalFresh, and the California Food Assistance Program, may also quality for an ID card for a reduced fee of $6. (Statute set the original fee at $6, to increase over time with inflation; the current rate is $8.)

Comments

1. Purpose. The author states this simple, yet important fee waiver will make it easier for veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services they have earned. The no-cost designation could also be helpful to medical providers and law enforcement entities, many of whom often deal directly with our homeless veterans who may be suffering from medical trauma, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as a result of their service.
2. Homeless veterans. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, California had the largest number of veterans experiencing homelessness in 2016, at 9,612 individuals. Homeless veterans in California represent nearly a quarter (24%) of the national homeless veteran population. California also has the third highest rate of unsheltered veterans at 58.3% (5,600 individuals).
3. Veteran driver’s licenses and ID cards. DMV began issuing driver’s licenses and ID cards with the veteran designation in November 2015, and had issued over 40,000 as of March 2017. According to the California Association of County Veteran Service Officers, nearly 9,000 additional California veterans are now receiving federal veterans’ benefits that they were unaware the eligible for, due to the veteran designation program. These benefits total more than $11 million in monthly payments to California veterans, with an additional $6 million in retroactive payments to these same veterans. This roughly translates into an average of $275 in benefits per veteran per month, far surpassing the one-time $5 fee charged for the designation.
4. Legislative history. AB 935 (Frazier, Chapter 644 of 2014) established the requirement for DMV to issue a veteran driver’s license or ID card to a qualified applicant. AB 935 authorized DMV to charge a $5 one-time fee and allowed DMV to increase the fee up to $15 to cover administrative costs. Three prior legislative attempts to establish a veteran driver’s license and ID card – AB 1637 (Frazier, 2014), AB 531 (Frazier, 2013), and AB 1725 (Lowenthal, 2012) – were virtually identical to AB 935. The major difference was that the prior three bills required, rather than authorized, the fee. Assemblyman Frazier is a coauthor on this bill.
5. Amendments. This bill was amended in the Senate Appropriations Committee to align eligibility with the existing Reduced-Fee ID Card Program and to add a 2019 sunset.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 790 (Stone, 2017) provides for a reduced fee of $8 for a replacement ID card issued to an eligible inmate upon release from a state or federal correctional facility or a county jail facility, or an eligible patient treated in a California Department of State Hospitals facility.

AB 672 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 403, Statutes of 2015) required the DMV to issue a free driver’s license or ID card to an individual who was wrongfully convicted and has been released from state prison or county jail within the past six months.

AB 935 (Frazier, Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014) required DMV to offer a driver’s license or identification card that includes the word “VETERAN” on its face.

AB 1733 (Quirk-Silva, Chapter 764, Statutes of 2014), among other provisions, required the DMV to issue, without a fee, an original or replacement ID card to any individual who can verify his or her status as homeless.

AB 2308 (Stone, Chapter 607, Statutes of 2014) required the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to ensure that all inmates released from state prisons have valid ID cards.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

• One-time DMV programming costs of approximately $100,000 in 2018-19 to provide for the fee waiver for eligible applicants. (Motor Vehicle Account)
• Unknown, likely minor foregone revenues, potentially in the low tens of thousands annually beginning in 2019-20, depending on the number of new driver’s license and ID card applicants requesting a “Veteran” designation who meet the eligibility criteria. (Motor Vehicle Account)
• One-time DMV costs of approximately $50,000 in 2018-19 in staff time to develop and adopt applicable regulations. (Motor Vehicle Account)

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/8/17)

League of United Latin American Citizens, Santa Ana LULAC Council #147

Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Foundation

Saddleback American Legion

Veterans of Foreign Wars

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/8/17)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: Saddleback American Legion writes that it can be a challenge for military veterans to prove they honorably served in the military. This bill will be helpful to homeless and low-income veterans who are seeking services and benefits to which they may be entitled.

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/30/17

AYES: Acosta, Aguiar-Curry, Travis Allen, Arambula, Baker, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonta, Brough, Burke, Caballero, Calderon, Cervantes, Chávez, Chen, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Flora, Fong, Frazier, Friedman, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gomez, Gonzalez Fletcher, Gray, Grayson, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Patterson, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Chau, Choi, Eggman

Prepared by:

9/11/17 9:09:21

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular Session

AB 363 (Quirk-Silva) - Driver’s licenses: veteran designation

*********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM – SUSPENSE FILE ***********

The following information is revised to reflect amendments

adopted by the committee on September 1, 2017

Bill Summary:

AB 363 would require the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to waive the $5 fee for a driver’s license or identification (ID) card “Veteran” designation, if the applicant is homeless or is determined to have an income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified public assistance programs.

Fiscal Impact:

• One-time DMV programming costs of approximately $100,000 in 2018-19 to provide for the fee waiver for eligible applicants. (Motor Vehicle Account)
  
• Unknown, likely minor foregone revenues, potentially in the low tens of thousands annually beginning in 2019-20, depending on the number of new driver’s license and ID card applicants requesting a “Veteran” designation who meet the eligibility criteria. (Motor Vehicle Account)
  
• One-time DMV costs of approximately $50,000 in 2018-19 in staff time to develop and adopt applicable regulations. (Motor Vehicle Account)

Author Amendments:

Delay the operative date of the fee waiver until July 1, 2019, and simplify the eligibility requirements. Specifically, DMV would use existing low-income and homeless criteria that currently apply to reduced-fee state identification cards to determine eligibility, rather than the criteria specified in the bill, which would be subject to DMV regulations.

-- END --

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 363

Author:

Amended: 9/1/17 in Senate

Vote:

SENATE TRANS. & HOUSING COMMITTEE: 12-0, 6/20/17

AYES: Beall, Cannella, Allen, Atkins, Bates, McGuire, Mendoza, Morrell, Roth, Skinner, Wieckowski, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Gaines

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-0, 9/1/17

AYES: Lara, Beall, Bradford, Hill, Wiener

NO VOTE RECORDED: Bates, Nielsen

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/30/17 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill waives the $5 fee on a driver’s license or identification (ID) card with a “VETERAN” designation.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Authorizes the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue a driver’s license to a qualified applicant and authorizes DMV to charge a fee of $30.
2. Authorizes DMV to issue an ID card to an eligible applicant and authorizes DMV to charge a fee of $26, except:
   1. DMV must issue a “Senior Citizen” ID card free of charge to an individual 62 years or older who applies for it.
   2. DMV must charge a reduced fee of $8 for an ID card for an individual with a current income level meeting the eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs.
   3. DMV must issue a free original or replacement ID card to an individual who can verify his or her status as homeless.
   4. DMV must issue a free original or replacement driver’s license or ID card to an individual who was exonerated and released from prison within the previous six months.
3. Authorizes an applicant to request the word “VETERAN” to be printed on the face of his or her driver’s license or ID card. Requires DMV to issue a veteran driver’s license or ID card upon verification of his or her veteran status.
4. Requires DMV to charge a one-time fee of $5 for a veteran driver’s license or ID card. Authorizes DMV to increase this fee by regulation to up to $15 to cover the cost of issuing the licenses and ID cards.

This bill:

1. Prohibits DMV from charging the $5 fee for a veteran driver’s license or ID card to an applicant as follows:
   1. An individual who has been determined to be eligible to obtain an original or replacement ID card at a reduced fee under the Reduced-Fee ID Card Program.
   2. An individual who can verify his or her status as homeless and has been determined to be eligible to obtain an original or replacement ID card at a reduced fee under the Reduced-Fee ID Card Program.
2. Provides that this bill shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

Background

Under DMV’s Reduced-Fee ID Card Program, individuals who qualify for public assistance programs such as CalWORKs, SNAP/CalFresh, and the California Food Assistance Program, may also quality for an ID card for a reduced fee of $6. (Statute set the original fee at $6, to increase over time with inflation; the current rate is $8.)

Comments

1. Purpose. The author states this simple, yet important fee waiver will make it easier for veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services they have earned. The no-cost designation could also be helpful to medical providers and law enforcement entities, many of whom often deal directly with our homeless veterans who may be suffering from medical trauma, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as a result of their service.
2. Homeless veterans. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, California had the largest number of veterans experiencing homelessness in 2016, at 9,612 individuals. Homeless veterans in California represent nearly a quarter (24%) of the national homeless veteran population. California also has the third highest rate of unsheltered veterans at 58.3% (5,600 individuals).
3. Veteran driver’s licenses and ID cards. DMV began issuing driver’s licenses and ID cards with the veteran designation in November 2015, and had issued over 40,000 as of March 2017. According to the California Association of County Veteran Service Officers, nearly 9,000 additional California veterans are now receiving federal veterans’ benefits that they were unaware the eligible for, due to the veteran designation program. These benefits total more than $11 million in monthly payments to California veterans, with an additional $6 million in retroactive payments to these same veterans. This roughly translates into an average of $275 in benefits per veteran per month, far surpassing the one-time $5 fee charged for the designation.
4. Legislative history. AB 935 (Frazier, Chapter 644 of 2014) established the requirement for DMV to issue a veteran driver’s license or ID card to a qualified applicant. AB 935 authorized DMV to charge a $5 one-time fee and allowed DMV to increase the fee up to $15 to cover administrative costs. Three prior legislative attempts to establish a veteran driver’s license and ID card – AB 1637 (Frazier, 2014), AB 531 (Frazier, 2013), and AB 1725 (Lowenthal, 2012) – were virtually identical to AB 935. The major difference was that the prior three bills required, rather than authorized, the fee. Assemblyman Frazier is a coauthor on this bill.
5. Amendments. This bill was amended in the Senate Appropriations Committee to align eligibility with the existing Reduced-Fee ID Card Program and to add a 2019 sunset.

Related/Prior Legislation

AB 790 (Stone, 2017) provides for a reduced fee of $8 for a replacement ID card issued to an eligible inmate upon release from a state or federal correctional facility or a county jail facility, or an eligible patient treated in a California Department of State Hospitals facility. The bill is pending hearing on the Senate Floor.

AB 672 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 403, Statutes of 2015) required the DMV to issue a free driver’s license or ID card to an individual who was wrongfully convicted and has been released from state prison or county jail within the past six months.

AB 935 (Frazier, Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014) required DMV to offer a driver’s license or identification card that includes the word “VETERAN” on its face.

AB 1733 (Quirk-Silva, Chapter 764, Statutes of 2014), among other provisions, required the DMV to issue, without a fee, an original or replacement ID card to any individual who can verify his or her status as homeless.

AB 2308 (Stone, Chapter 607, Statutes of 2014) required the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to ensure that all inmates released from state prisons have valid ID cards.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

• One-time DMV programming costs of approximately $100,000 in 2018-19 to provide for the fee waiver for eligible applicants. (Motor Vehicle Account)
• Unknown, likely minor foregone revenues, potentially in the low tens of thousands annually beginning in 2019-20, depending on the number of new driver’s license and ID card applicants requesting a “Veteran” designation who meet the eligibility criteria. (Motor Vehicle Account)
• One-time DMV costs of approximately $50,000 in 2018-19 in staff time to develop and adopt applicable regulations. (Motor Vehicle Account)

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/1/17)

League of United Latin American Citizens, Santa Ana LULAC Council #147

Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Foundation

Saddleback American Legion

Veterans of Foreign Wars

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/1/17)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: Saddleback American Legion writes that it can be a challenge for military veterans to prove they honorably served in the military. This bill will be helpful to homeless and low-income veterans who are seeking services and benefits to which they may be entitled.

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/30/17

AYES: Acosta, Aguiar-Curry, Travis Allen, Arambula, Baker, Berman, Bigelow, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonta, Brough, Burke, Caballero, Calderon, Cervantes, Chávez, Chen, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Flora, Fong, Frazier, Friedman, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gomez, Gonzalez Fletcher, Gray, Grayson, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kiley, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Patterson, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Chau, Choi, Eggman

Prepared by:

9/5/17 12:41:37

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular Session

AB 363 (Quirk-Silva) - Driver’s licenses: veteran designation

This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.

Bill Summary:

AB 363 would require the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to waive the $5 fee for a driver’s license or identification (ID) card “Veteran” designation, if the applicant is homeless or is determined to have an income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified public assistance programs.

Fiscal Impact:

• One-time DMV programming costs of approximately $100,000 to provide for the fee waiver for eligible applicants. (Motor Vehicle Account)
  
• Unknown, likely minor foregone revenues, potentially in the low tens of thousands annually, depending on the number of new driver’s license and ID card applicants requesting a “Veteran” designation who meet the eligibility criteria. (Motor Vehicle Account)
  
• One-time DMV costs of approximately $50,000 in staff time to develop and adopt applicable regulations. (Motor Vehicle Account)

Background:

Existing law authorizes DMV to issue a driver’s license or ID card to applicants meeting specified eligibility requirements, upon payment of a fee of $30 or $26, respectively. Existing law provides the following fee waivers or reductions:

• “Senior Citizen” ID cards are issued free of charge to an applicant who is 62 years of age or older.
• ID card applicants with a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements of certain public assistance programs are charged a reduced fee of $8.
• Original or replacement ID cards are issued free of charge to applicants who can verify their status as homeless.
• Original or replacement driver’s licenses or ID cards are issued free of charge to persons who were exonerated and released from prison within the previous six months.

Existing law, as enacted by AB 935 (Frazier), Chap. 644/2014, allows a person applying for a driver’s license or ID card in person at a DMV field office to request the word "Veteran" to be printed on the face of the driver’s license or identification card, upon verification of veteran status and payment of a one-time fee of $5. DMV is authorized to increase the fee by regulation to not more than $15 to cover its reasonable costs.

Proposed Law:

AB 363 would require DMV to waive the one-time fee charged to applicants requesting a “Veteran” designation on a driver’s license or identification card under the following circumstances:

• An applicant has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for specified assistance programs, including CalWORKS, CalFresh, and other food and cash assistance programs. Eligibility must be determined by a government or nonprofit entity, and subject to requirements specified in DMV regulations.
• An applicant verifying his or her status as a homeless person. Eligibility may be verified by a homeless services provider, as specified, and subject to requirements specified in DMV regulations.

Staff Comments:

DMV began issuing driver’s licenses and ID cards with the “Veteran” designation in November of 2015, and has issued over 40,000 as of March of this year. This bill would allow a fee waiver for future in-person applicants for the “Veteran” designation who meet specified eligibility criteria. Staff estimates that DMV would incur costs of approximately $50,000 in staff time to develop and adopt regulations regarding the eligibility requirements. The number of projected eligible applicants, and subsequent foregone revenues associated with the fee waiver, are unknown.

DMV indicates that programming requirements to account for the fee waiver would result in additional costs of approximately $100,000. Staff notes that DMV currently has numerous significant mandatory programming requirements underway, including projects associated with federal REAL ID compliance, the imposition of new fees as a result of the recent passage of SB 1 (Beall), Chap. 5/2017, the issuance of temporary license plates as a result of AB 516 (Mullin), Chap. 90/2016, and automatic voter registration as a result of AB 1461 (Gonzalez), Chap.729/2015, among others. As a result of this existing workload, it is unlikely that DMV would be able to implement the fee waivers in this bill without impacting current projects.

Recommended Amendments:

Considering the significant existing programming workload underway at the DMV, staff recommends an amendment to delay implementation of the bill to allow for adequate allocation of DMV resources.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING

Senator Jim Beall, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: AB 363 Hearing Date: 6/20/2017

SUBJECT: Driver’s licenses: veteran designation.

DIGEST: This bill waives the $5 fee on a driver’s license or identification (ID) card with a “VETERAN” designation.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Authorizes the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue a driver’s license to a qualified applicant and authorizes DMV to charge a fee of $30.
2. Authorizes DMV to issue an ID card to an eligible applicant and authorizes DMV to charge a fee of $26, except:
   1. DMV must issue a “Senior Citizen” ID card free of charge to an individual 62 years or older who applies for it.
   2. DMV must charge a reduced fee of $8 for an ID card for an individual with a current income level meeting the eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs.
   3. DMV must issue a free original or replacement ID card to an individual who can verify his or her status as homeless.
   4. DMV must issue a free original or replacement driver’s license or ID card to an individual who was exonerated and released from prison within the previous six months.
3. Authorizes an applicant to request the word “VETERAN” to be printed on the face of his or her driver’s license or ID card. Requires DMV to issue a veteran driver’s license or ID card upon verification of his or her veteran status.
4. Requires DMV to charge a one-time fee of $5 for a veteran driver’s license or ID card. Authorizes DMV to increase this fee by regulation to up to $15 to cover the cost of issuing the licenses and ID cards.

This bill:

1. Prohibits DMV from charging the $5 fee for a veteran driver’s license or ID card to an applicant as follows:
   1. An individual who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs. The eligibility determination shall be made by a governmental or non-profit entity.
   2. An individual who can verify his or her status as homeless. The eligibility determination may be made by a homeless services provider, as specified. An individual may not be charged a fee for the eligibility verification.
2. Provides that the eligibility determination shall be subject to regulations adopted by DMV.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. The author states this simple, yet important fee waiver will make it easier for veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services they have earned. The no-cost designation could also be helpful to medical providers and law enforcement entities, many of whom often deal directly with our homeless veterans who may be suffering from medical trauma, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as a result of their service.
2. Homeless veterans. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, California had the largest number of veterans experiencing homelessness in 2016, at 9,612 individuals. Homeless veterans in California represent nearly a quarter (24%) of the national homeless veteran population. California also has the third highest rate of unsheltered veterans at 58.3% (5,600 individuals).
3. Veteran driver’s licenses and ID cards. DMV began issuing driver’s licenses and ID cards with the veteran designation in November 2015, and had issued over 40,000 as of March 2017. According to the California Association of County Veteran Service Officers, nearly 9,000 additional California veterans are now receiving federal veterans’ benefits that they were unaware the eligible for, due to the veteran designation program. These benefits total more than $11 million in monthly payments to California veterans, with an additional $6 million in retroactive payments to these same veterans. This roughly translates into an average of $275 in benefits per veteran per month, far surpassing the one-time $5 fee charged for the designation.
4. Legislative history. AB 935 (Frazier, Chapter 644 of 2014) established the requirement for DMV to issue a veteran driver’s license or ID card to a qualified applicant. AB 935 authorized DMV to charge a $5 one-time fee and allowed DMV to increase the fee up to $15 to cover administrative costs. Three prior legislative attempts to establish a veteran driver’s license and ID card – AB 1637 (Frazier) of 2014, AB 531 (Frazier) of 2013, and AB 1725 (Lowenthal) of 2012 – were virtually identical to AB 935. The major difference was that the prior three bills required, rather than authorized, the fee. Assemblyman Frazier is a coauthor on this bill.
5. Tie to existing DMV program? Under DMV’s Reduced-Fee ID Card Program, individuals who qualify for public assistance programs such as CalWORKs, SNAP/CalFresh, and the California Food Assistance Program, are also eligible for an ID card for a reduced fee of $8. Moving forward, the author may wish to consider tying eligibility for the fee waiver in this bill, to the eligibility requirements in the Reduced-Fee ID Card Program, to simplify DMV implementation efforts.

Related Legislation:

AB 790 (Stone, 2017) — provides for a reduced fee of $8 for a replacement ID card issued to an eligible inmate upon release from a state or federal correctional facility or a county jail facility, or an eligible patient treated in a California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) facility. This bill is pending hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

AB 672 (Jones-Sawyer, Chapter 403, Statutes of 2015) — requires the DMV to issue a free driver’s license or ID card to an individual who was wrongfully convicted and has been released from state prison or county jail within the past six months.

AB 935 (Frazier, Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014) — requires DMV to offer a driver’s license or identification card that includes the word “VETERAN” on its face.

AB 1733 (Quirk-Silva, Chapter 764, Statutes of 2014) — among other provisions, requires the DMV to issue, without a fee, an original or replacement ID card to any individual who can verify his or her status as homeless.

AB 2308 (Stone, Chapter 607, Statutes of 2014) — requires CDCR to ensure that all inmates released from state prisons have valid ID cards.

Assembly Votes:

Floor:            77-0

Approps:        17-0

Vets Affairs 9-0

Trans:            13-0

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on Wednesday,

June 14, 2017.)

SUPPORT:

League of United Latin American Citizens

Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Foundation

Saddleback American Legion

OPPOSITION:

None received.

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 363

Author:(Quirk-Silva)

As Introduced Ver:February 8, 2017

Majority vote

SUMMARY: Prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from charging the one-time $5 fee to a person applying for a driver's license or identification card with a veteran designation if the applicant is homeless or is determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs, as specified; provides the determination of eligibility be subject to regulations adopted by DMV.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Allows a person applying for a driver's license or identification card in person at a DMV field office to request the word "VETERAN" to be printed on the face of the driver's license or identification card.
2. Upon payment of a fee and verification of an applicant's veteran status, requires DMV to print the word "VETERAN" on the face of a driver's license or identification card, as specified.
3. Requires DMV to charge a one-time fee of $5 to a person applying for a driver's license or identification card with a veteran designation and authorizes DMV to increase the fee by regulation to not more than $15 to cover its reasonable costs.
4. Prohibits DMV from charging a fee for an original or replacement identification card to a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person or homeless child or youth, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. One-time costs of about $150,000 from the Motor Vehicle Account (MVA) to DMV for information technology programming, form modifications, and to promulgate regulations.
2. Unknown ongoing loss of revenue to the MVA, depending on the number of veterans that would be exempt from paying the $5 fee. For example, if 10% of the 40,000 driver licenses and identification cards that have been issued with the veteran designation to date were exempt from the fee in the future, this would reduce MVA revenues by $20,000.

COMMENTS: In 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 935 (Frazier) Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014, requiring DMV to issue driver's licenses and identification cards with a veteran designation to eligible applicants, beginning in November 2015. At the time of the passage of AB 935, the veteran designation was intended to give veterans an efficient means of proving their eligibility for benefits and discounts instead of carrying their discharge papers, the DD-214, on their persons at all times. At the time, a San Diego Union Tribune article found that, "California veterans may be losing out on $400 million in federal benefits." AB 935 required DMV to charge a one-time $5 fee to cover the department's implementation costs, estimated at the time at $1.05 million for 2014-15 and 2015-16, and ongoing costs exceeding $750,000 in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Because a driver's license currently has a renewal term of five years, this one-time $5 fee translates to $1 per year for the first five years of holding the license, and no charge for every year of the license after it is renewed.

As of March 2017, DMV has issued over 40,000 driver's licenses and identification cards with veteran designations since it began offering the designations in November 2015. According to California Association of County Veteran Service Officers, nearly 9,000 additional California veterans are now receiving federal veterans' benefits that they were unaware they were eligible for, due to the veteran designation program. These benefits total over $11 million in monthly payments to California veterans, with an additional $6 million in retroactive payments to these same veterans. This roughly translates to an average of $275 in benefits per veteran per month, far surpassing the one-time fee of $5 for receiving the designation.

This bill would waive the one-time $5 fee for applicants that are homeless or are determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs, such as CALWORKs. The author intends to make it easier for these veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services that they have earned. According to the author, 16,461 veterans, or approximately 0.9% of all California veterans are homeless, with 26% of all homeless veterans in the United States living in California. Obtaining a driver's license or identification card with a veteran designation may make it easier to move from homelessness into shelters and permanent housing. Additionally, the author notes that the no-cost designation may also be helpful to medical and law enforcement entities who deal with homeless veterans who may be suffering from trauma as a result of their service.

Committee concerns: This bill will require DMV field office staff to verify a person's eligibility for a waived fee by income level or status as homeless. This will likely cause additional workload for DMV staff, which may translate to additional costs to implement the veteran designation program as a whole.

Because DMV is authorized to raise the one-time $5 fee up to $15 to cover its reasonable costs, this bill may result in the one-time fee rising for all veterans not eligible under this bill, if DMV costs rise and the department is no longer able to adequately cover its costs for administering the program without the revenue from applicants whose fees would be waived by this bill.

Please see the policy committee analysis for full discussion of this bill.

Analysis Prepared by: Justin Behrens / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0000690

Date of Hearing: May 10, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 363

Author:(Quirk-Silva) – As Introduced Ver:February 8, 2017

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from charging the one-time $5 fee to a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation if the applicant is homeless or is determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs, as specified. This bill provides the determination of eligibility be subject to regulations adopted by DMV.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. One-time costs of about $150,000 from the Motor Vehicle Account (MVA) to DMV for information technology (IT) programming, form modifications, and to promulgate regulations.
2. Unknown ongoing loss of revenue to the MVA, depending on the number of veterans that would be exempt from paying the $5 fee. For example, if 10 percent of the 40,000 driver licenses and ID cards that have been issued with the veteran designation to date were exempt from the fee in the future, this would reduce MVA revenues by $20,000.

COMMENTS:

1. Background. Existing law allows a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card in person at a DMV field office to request the word "Veteran" to be printed on the face of the driver’s license or identification card. The DMV is required to charge a one-time fee of $5 to a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation. In addition, DMV is authorized to increase the fee by regulation to not more than $15 to cover its reasonable costs.
2. Purpose. According to the author, “AB 363 will provide this simple, yet important, fee waiver that makes it easier for these veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services that they have earned. The no-cost designation will also be helpful to medical providers and law enforcement entities, many of whom often deal directly with our veterans who may be suffering from medical trauma, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as a result of their service.”

Analysis Prepared by: Jessica Peters / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 25, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS

Jacqui Irwin, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 363 (

Author:Quirk-Silva) – As Introduced Ver:February 8, 2017

SUBJECT: Driver’s licenses: veteran designation

SUMMARY: Prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from charging the one-time $5 fee to a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation if the applicant is homeless or is determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs. Specifically this bill:

1. Prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from charging the one-time $5 fee to a either of the following persons:
   1. A person who has been determined to have a current income level that meets the eligibility requirements for assistance programs under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) or Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000) of Part 3 of, or Part 5 (commencing with Section 17000) of, or Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) or Chapter 10.1 (commencing with Section 18930) or Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 18937) of Part 6 of, Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
   2. A person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person. A homeless services provider that has knowledge of the person’s housing status may verify the person’s status for purposes of this paragraph. A determination of eligibility pursuant to this paragraph shall be subject to regulations adopted by the department. A person making a request under this paragraph shall not be charged a fee for verification of his or her eligibility.
2. Applies the following definitions:
   1. A “homeless person” has the same meaning as the definition set forth in the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11301 et seq.).
   2. A “homeless services provider” includes:
      1. A governmental or nonprofit agency receiving federal, state, or county or municipal funding to provide services to a “homeless person” or that is otherwise sanctioned to provide those services by a local homeless continuum of care organization.
      2. An attorney licensed to practice law in this state.
      3. A law enforcement officer designated as a liaison to the homeless population by a local police department or sheriff’s department within the state.
      4. Any other homeless services provider that is qualified to verify an individual’s housing status, as determined by the department.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Allows a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card in person at a DMV field office to request the word "VETERAN" to be printed on the face of the driver’s license or identification card.
2. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a verification form in consultation with DMV and the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers (CACVSO), requires a county veterans service office (CVSO) to verify a person’s veteran status and sign the verification form, and requires DMV to accept the signed verification form by a CVSO as proof of an applicant’s veteran status.
3. Upon payment of a fee and verification of an applicant's veteran status, requires DMV to print the word "VETERAN" on the face of a driver’s license or identification card, as specified.
4. Requires DMV to charge a one-time fee of $5 to a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation and authorizes DMV to increase the fee by regulation to not more than $15 to cover its reasonable costs.
5. Prohibits DMV from charging a fee for an original or replacement identification card to a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person or homeless child or youth, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown at this time.

COMMENTS: In 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 935 (Frazier) Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014, requiring the DMV to issue driver’s licenses and identification cards with a veteran designation to eligible applicants, beginning in November 2015. AB 935 required the DMV to charge a one-time $5 fee to cover the department’s implementation costs, estimated at the time at $1.05 million for 2014-15 and 2015-16, and ongoing costs exceeding $750,000 in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

As of March 2017, the DMV has issued over 40,000 driver’s licenses and identification cards with veteran designations since it began offering the designations in November 2015. According to CACVSO, nearly 9,000 additional California veterans are now receiving federal veterans’ benefits that they were unaware they were eligible for, due to the veteran designation program. These benefits total over $11 million in monthly payments to California veterans, with an additional $6 million in retroactive payments to these same veterans. This roughly translates to an average of $275 in benefits per veteran per month, far surpassing the one-time fee of $5 for receiving the designation.

Homeless veterans are a significant issue for California, which has the most homeless veterans of any state. California is home to nearly 26 percent of all homeless veterans in the United States. Los Angeles County alone accounts for 10 percent of the nation‟s homeless veterans. According to HUD’s 2012 Continuum of Care (CoC) Homeless Population Subcount, California is home to 4,512 veterans living in temporary housing or shelters and 11,949 veterans living on the streets or in places unintended for human habitation. This means approximately 0.9 percent of all California veterans are homeless.

This bill would waive the one-time $5 fee for applicants that are homeless or are determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs, such as CALWORKs. The author intends to make it easier for these veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services that they have earned.

According to the author, 16,461 veterans, or approximately 0.9% of all California veterans are homeless, with 26% of all homeless veterans in the United States living in California. Obtaining a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation may make it easier to move from homelessness into shelters and permanent housing. Additionally, the author notes that the no-cost designation may also be helpful to medical and law enforcement entities who deal with homeless veterans who may be suffering from medical trauma, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as a result of their service.

Double referral: This bill was double-referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee and passed unanimously.

Previous legislation: AB 935 (Frazier) Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014, required DMV to offer a driver’s license or identification card printed with the word “VETERAN” to an eligible applicant, as specified.

AB 1733 (Quirk-Silva, Atkins, Maienschein) Chapter 764, Statutes of 2014, required DMV to issue an identification card without charging a fee to a person who can verify his or her status as homeless.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on File.

Opposition

None on File.

Analysis Prepared by: Jenny Callison / V.A. / (916) 319-3550

Date of Hearing: April 17, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Jim Frazier, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 363 (

Author:Quirk-Silva) – As Introduced Ver:February 8, 2017

SUBJECT: Driver’s licenses: veteran designation

SUMMARY: Prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from charging the one-time $5 fee to a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation if the applicant is homeless or is determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs, as specified; provides the determination of eligibility be subject to regulations adopted by DMV.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Allows a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card in person at a DMV field office to request the word "VETERAN" to be printed on the face of the driver’s license or identification card.
2. Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a verification form in consultation with DMV and the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers (CACVSO), requires a county veterans service office (CVSO) to verify a person’s veteran status and sign the verification form, and requires DMV to accept the signed verification form by a CVSO as proof of an applicant’s veteran status.
3. Upon payment of a fee and verification of an applicant's veteran status, requires DMV to print the word "VETERAN" on the face of a driver’s license or identification card, as specified.
4. Requires DMV to charge a one-time fee of $5 to a person applying for a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation and authorizes DMV to increase the fee by regulation to not more than $15 to cover its reasonable costs.
5. Prohibits DMV from charging a fee for an original or replacement identification card to a person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person or homeless child or youth, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: In 2014, Governor Brown signed AB 935 (Frazier) Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014, requiring DMV to issue driver’s licenses and identification cards with a veteran designation to eligible applicants, beginning in November 2015. At the time of the passage of AB 935, the veteran designation was intended to give veterans an efficient means of proving their eligibility for benefits and discounts instead of carrying their discharge papers, the DD-214, on their persons at all times. At the time, a San Diego Union Tribune article found that, “California veterans may be losing out on $400 million in federal benefits.” AB 935 required DMV to charge a one-time $5 fee to cover the department’s implementation costs, estimated at the time at $1.05 million for 2014-15 and 2015-16, and ongoing costs exceeding $750,000 in 2016-17 and 2017-18. Because a driver’s license currently has a renewal term of five years, this one-time $5 fee translates to $1 per year for the first five years of holding the license, and no charge for every year of the license after it is renewed.

As of March 2017, DMV has issued over 40,000 driver’s licenses and identification cards with veteran designations since it began offering the designations in November 2015. According to CACVSO, nearly 9,000 additional California veterans are now receiving federal veterans’ benefits that they were unaware they were eligible for, due to the veteran designation program. These benefits total over $11 million in monthly payments to California veterans, with an additional $6 million in retroactive payments to these same veterans. This roughly translates to an average of $275 in benefits per veteran per month, far surpassing the one-time fee of $5 for receiving the designation.

This bill would waive the one-time $5 fee for applicants that are homeless or are determined to have a current income level that meets eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs, such as CALWORKs. The author intends to make it easier for these veterans to access all the available resources, benefits, and services that they have earned. According to the author, 16,461 veterans, or approximately 0.9% of all California veterans are homeless, with 26% of all homeless veterans in the United States living in California. Obtaining a driver’s license or identification card with a veteran designation may make it easier to move from homelessness into shelters and permanent housing. Additionally, the author notes that the no-cost designation may also be helpful to medical and law enforcement entities who deal with homeless veterans who may be suffering from trauma as a result of their service.

Committee concerns: This bill will require DMV field office staff to verify a person’s eligibility for a waived fee by income level or status as homeless. This will likely cause additional workload for DMV staff, which may translate to additional costs to implement the veteran designation program as a whole.

Because DMV is authorized to raise the one-time $5 fee up to $15 to cover its reasonable costs, this bill may result in the one-time fee rising for all veterans not eligible under this bill, if DMV costs rise and the department is no longer able to adequately cover its costs for administering the program without the revenue from applicants whose fees would be waived by this bill.

Double referral: This bill will be referred to the Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee should it pass out of this committee.

Previous legislation: AB 935 (Frazier) Chapter 644, Statutes of 2014, required DMV to offer a driver’s license or identification card printed with the word “VETERAN” to an eligible applicant, as specified.

AB 1733 (Quirk-Silva, Atkins, Maienschein) Chapter 764, Statutes of 2014, required DMV to issue an identification card without charging a fee to a person who can verify his or her status as homeless.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Justin Behrens / TRANS. /