Assembly Standing Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs

It's too low. Okay. Good afternoon. We're gonna try. Call to order. The Assembly Committee on Military and Veteran Affairs. And my apologies for being so tardy. It's a busy time, as everybody in this room knows too. Before we begin, I want to make sure that we make a statement about providing testimony at this hearing.

We seek to protect the rights of all participants in the legislative process so that we can have an effective deliberation on critical issues facing California. All witnesses will be testifying in person and all testimony comments are limited to the Bill at hand.

In order to facilitate the goal of hearing as much from the public as we can within the limits of our time. We will not permit conduct that disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the legislative proceedings. We will not accept disruptive behavior or behavior that incites or threatens violence.

So this hearing of Military and Veteran affairs. We are hearing four bills on file today and one on consent. AB 571, Quirk Silva, AB 1346, DeMaio, which is on consent, AB 1412, Jeff Gonzalez and AB 1433, Sharp Collins. So we do not have a quorum. So we will open the hearing as a Subcommitee to allow Bill presentations.

And if we don't have a quorum by the end of the Bill presentations, then we'll place them on call until we do so. First up is Sharon Quirk-Silva, our Assembly Member here with AB571.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and Members. I would like to begin by thanking the Committee consultant for their excellent work on our Bill. Today I present AB571, which provides a targeted CEQA exemption for the Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon in the City of Anaheim. I do want to just make a note here.

This particular piece of legislation has been long in the making. Over a decade, actually. It was in 2013 when I served as Veterans Chair. Sitting where you sit, where we began this very long decade of moving forward this piece of legislation step by step.

This is actually the fourth piece of legislation in this package to bring this cemetery to Orange County. But this project, like I said, is a decade in the making. And it is a project I have worked on since I was first elected to the State Assembly.

It is also deeply personal to me as my family includes proud Members of the United States Army, Air Force and Marines. Currently I have a young 21 year old Marine who is at Coronado right Now in his second reenlisting and an 18 year old that just signed up for the army and is in training right now.

But today we are closer than ever to delivering on the promise of a final resting place for Orange County's veterans. A place of honor, dignity and peace. After years of discussion and delay, this project now enjoys broad bipartisan support.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors, all 34 cities in Orange County, a majority of the Orange County, state and federal delegation, again bipartisan veterans organizations, public safety groups and labor organizations all stand united behind this effort. Locally, the Anaheim City Council voted unanimously last year to approve the Veterans Cemetery project along with an adjacent public cemetery.

That approval relied on addendum to an existing environmental impact report certified in 2005 for a project of greater intensity. So I want to underscore that as well. This cemetery will be much less impact than what initially would be allowed by the EIR in 2005.

This allows the County of Orange, the Orange County Cemetery District and the California Department of Veterans affairs to move forward, working together to share costs, coordinate infrastructure and maximize the use of public funds. There is currently 50 million in combined state and county funding available for the early phases of construction.

AB571 will help us move this project across the finish line. It provides an urgency clause and a narrow seat CEQA exemption to streamline planning and permitting. It ensures that after a decade of effort, the Southern California Veterans Cemetery can finally become a reality.

With me today to testify is Amy Jenkins, representing the County of Orange, and Steve Spriggs, US Army Vietnam veteran and board Member of Valor, the Veterans alliance of Orange County.

Good afternoon, chairvo and Members of the Committee. My name is Steve Spriggs. I'm proud to serve on the board of the Veterans Alliance of Orange County, which is a coalition of over 150 veterans organizations. United has the mission to establish a final resting place for Orange County veterans.

I'm here today to voice our Strong support for AB571 by Assembly Member Quirk Silva. This Bill is essential to ensure the Southern California Veterans Cemetery at Gibson Canyon can finally move forward free from further unnecessary delays. Orange County is home to more than 100,000 veterans, yet we remain the largest county in California without a dedicated veteran cemetery.

For more than a decade, our veteran community has fought for this project. We have secured 200 acres of public land, over 50 million in state and local funding, and the unanimous support of the county, all 34 cities, and a bipartisan coalition of elected leaders.

The Gypsum Canyon site has already undergone thorough environmental review with Environmental Impact report certified in 2005 and updated again in 2024 by the Anaheim City Council. Yet a Single legal challenge now threatens to delay this project even further, jeopardizing federal funding and denying agent veterans and their families the dignity of a local resting place.

Veterans should not have to wait any longer. We deserve what has been promised. A solemn, honorable place to be laid to rest close to our families and in the county we call home. AB571 removes the final barrier to making that promise a reality.

And on behalf of the Veterans alliance of Orange County and thousands of veterans who proudly served our nation, I respectfully urge your support. Thank you.

Good afternoon, Madam Chairwoman and Members. Amy Jenkins. On behalf of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I think our first witness and the Assembly woman said everything. The Orange County Board has been a strong proponent of this measure.

We did deed 200 acres, have invested $20 million towards this effort and want to thank the Assembly woman for her decade long leadership to assure this project comes to fruition. Happy to answer any questions you have and urgent. I vote. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much. Are there any folks in the audience who would like to support the Bill? Please say your name, organization and position, chair Members.

Good afternoon. Yolanda Benson, representing the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers in support of this Bill. Thank you very much to the author.

Thank you. And do we have any primary witnesses in opposition? Anyone from the public in opposition? Okay. Seeing none. Would you. Any questions from the dais?

Thank you. I want to say thank you so much for your tenacity, your patience and the fact that this will be your. Your last term. We have to get this completed. I think that would be the success knowing that, you know, we're able to push this through.

And again, it's been years and Orange County not having veterans cemetery. We have one of the largest populations of veterans in California. I'm really grateful to see that you haven't given up on this. And if anything, like I said, it's.

We've got every city behind us and pretty much have gone through every type of regulation and CEQA exemptions that we need to go through. So thank you very much and I'd love to co author on this. Thank you.

You are a co author

Then put me down for two.

I want to also join Assemblymember Davies in commending your amazing work for over a decade on this issue. I know this is the largest county that doesn't have a veterans cemetery.

It's something that's long overdue and I'm sorry that it's been so challenging and taking so long, but we're really Happy that this could be something that really honors elderly veterans in the, you know, and family Members in a way that they really deserve. And so would you like to. Oh, yes, yes.

Congratulations on finally coming over the finish. Line with this Bill. I appreciate it. And I really. I want to co author as well.

Would you like to close?

I just want to make sure that it's underscored that this is about tribute to the veterans who we know smaller and smaller percent percentage are signing up to serve our country.

But we also know that we are losing our veterans, particularly World War II, other wars that have, that our veterans have served in my dad and the Korean War. And it's. We're running out of time. So this is urgent and we definitely want to have that place for families especially. But to. To say to the veterans, thank you. And with that, I ask for an aye vote.

Thank you. We hope this is your last stop on this, on this path. And then we certainly would. We'll bring this up. We don't have a quorum yet, but we'll bring it up when we do have a quorum. Thank you, Members. Thank you. Next. Thank you. We need an author. Okay. Well. Okay.

So I know our Vice Chair is nearby and we'll come back in a few minutes. And if Assemblymember Sharp Collins is nearby, come on down. We are ready, ready, willing and able to hear the Bill. Okay. Okay. It looks like we have a quorum, so why don't we go ahead and establish that. Madam Secretary.

[Roll Call]

Wonderful. We have a quorum, so we're really ready. We'll wait for a couple minutes. Okay. So we need a motion and a second for move. Okay. By Rodriguez and Davies. And Madam Secretary, can you call the roll for AB571?

[Roll Call]

Okay, that has five votes. And we'll leave the roll open for other Members and we'll go ahead and vote on the consent calendar, which includes AB 1346. DeMaio by motion by Davies. Okay. Second by Rodriguez.

AB 1346 by Assemblymember DiMaio. Motion is due. Pass and re refer to Committee on Appropriations. Chavo. Aye. Chavo. Aye. Gonzalez, Avila. Fariaz. Avila. Faras. Aye. Carillo. Aye. Carillo Aye. Davies? Aye. Davies? Aye. Rodriguez. Rodriguez? Aye. Sharp, Collins and Valencia.

Okay, so that also has five votes and we will leave it open for the roll open for other Members as okay, okay. Next we will take up AB 1412 by Assembly Member and our Vice Chair Jeff Gonzalez. You can proceed when you're ready.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and Members. I'm honored today to present AB 1412 which would make the transfer process consistent for all types of school transfers for special needs students.

Specifically, this Bill requires school districts to adopt or implement a special needs student's current or new individual education program, also known as an IEP, within 30 days of a transfer from outside the state. Amendments taken in the last Committee require that 30 day timeline begins once the new school district receives the students records.

Additionally, this Bill would require the new school to promptly coordinate with the student's parents or guardian and previous school and to take reasonable steps that are consistent with the Interstate Military Compact to ensure proper student record acquisition. These requirements would ensure timely access to services for highly mobile students with exceptional needs.

I want to highlight the record acquisition piece of this Bill. AB 1412 requires that unofficial records be accepted by the new school district pending validation by the official records. This means that the IEP would be finalized once the official records are received.

The unofficial records are meant as a starting point and something to get the ball rolling on IEP development and implementation. This is very near and dear to my heart because we had to go through this with my special needs son coming from South Carolina to California.

It was just they wouldn't start the process and it just didn't make sense to us. Just take what we have and let's get the ball rolling so that he could have services. AB 1412 is about consistency and protecting access to services for students.

Existing law requires that when a student with an IEP transfers between schools within the state, the new school must either adopt the previously agreed upon IEP or develop and implement a new one within 30 days. This 30 day timeline does not exist for transfers from outside from out of the state.

This means that students with exceptional needs, like my son, often face delays and hardships in getting the services that they need when they transfer from out of state. I know all too well, as does my family, that military connected children are especially vulnerable to these challenges given their don't know why I'm getting emotional about this.

Given their challenges of their highly mobile lifestyle. By adopting a uniform timeline for all types of transfers and by requiring prompt coordination and acquisition of student records, AB 1412 provides necessary guardrails for special education and protects against unnecessary delays.

I am committed to working with the opposition to address their implementation concerns, and I look forward to continued conversations. With me today to testify in support is Kelly May Douglas with the Department of Defense. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Chair Schiavo and Members of the Committee. My name is Kelly May Douglas and I'm representing the Department of Defense. And this is also very personal to me as well. I taught overseas with the Department of Defense Education activity, and I was also a special education advocate here in California down in San Diego. county.

And I also raised a military child with special needs. On behalf of the Department of Defense and over 84,000 children of nearly 252,000 service Members living in the state, I'm here to support the policy changes reflected within AB 1412.

As you know, military connected students move frequently, often every two to three years for students with special education needs. Each move is not just a change in scenery, it's a risk. Delays in assessments, services and supports can set a child back months, even years, both academically and emotionally.

California has led the nation in supporting military connected students by enacting protections like the military Interstate Children's Compact and advance enrollment. These are important commitments. AB 1412 builds on them by ensuring special education services follow these students quickly and without disruption. Our military families already sacrifice stability, friendships, and time together for the good of our country.

Their children should not have to sacrifice their their education as well. When we support military families, we strengthen not only our schools, but our communities in our state. This policy proposal honors what California has promised and what these families deserve. Timely, consistent support when they need it the most.

We appreciate Assembly Member Gonzalez for bringing forth this critical issue and the Committee for the Opportunity to share why the Defense Department strongly supports the policy changes reflected within this Bill. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any Members of the public who would like to speak in support? Name, organization and position, please.

Good afternoon, Madam Chair Members Veronica Badillo representing Navy Region Southwest here. On behalf of the active military services in California and strong support of AB 1412. And also want to thank the Assembly Member for his strong work and his staff on this Bill. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Anyone in opposition? Primary witnesses? Members of the public?

Oh, good afternoon. Kordell Hampton with the Association of California School Administrators. Respectfully in opposition to for AB 1412. We've been in communication with the author's. Office and working on some. Addressing some clarifying questions and look forward. To working with them. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Okay. Any questions from the dais?

Thank you. Just quickly, obviously, we know that traveling is a lot of moving a lot when you're in the military, and that's hard enough on a family. But when you have a special needs, time is matter. And to come into an area where you're, when your children need to have those services immediately and waiting.

And I believe we were discussing this, it could be six months, up to a year sometimes, which is not acceptable. So I just want to say, I know I could speak for everyone here is I'm so proud of you.

I know that one of the reasons why you ran was to not only protect and stand up for your son, but also for all of the other military families that have special needs. And I just want to say you should be proud of yourself and very supportive of this. Thank you.

I want to thank the author. And I too will be supporting this. Bill today and just really impressed how. You are so thoughtful and elevate the voices of the most marginalized of our. Society, whether your own personal journey and. The experience, but just that you lift. Up the voices that are seldom heard at the Capitol. And I want to thank you for that.

Thank you. I want to thank you too for this Bill. I think a lot of times the children of military families are left out of when we're thanking people for their service and really children are right along there and we need to make it as easy as possible, especially with kids with, with special needs.

So appreciate your thoughtfulness for this Bill and happy to have a I recommendation. We have a, a motion and a second. Madam Secretary, could you call the roll or Sorry, do you want to close?

I think I'm emotional because I remember the days of leaving for, for combat and leaving my family behind in hopes that they would be taken care of.

And you know, those who we leave behind have to deal with some of these issues and I'm thankful that I get the opportunity to come here and try to try to fix this. So I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

[Roll Call]

Wonderful. That Bill is out and we will wait for the next. Yeah, we can do a couple add ons for previous motions. So which one do you have? AB571, Madam Secretary.

[Roll Call]

Okay, so that's seven. Seven ayes. And we will leave that open for absent Members as well. And we also have the consent calendar. Madam Secretary.

[Roll Call]

That has seven votes. And we'll leave that open for absent Members and okay, and we are. I heard she's on her way. Assembly Member Sharp Collins. We hope she's close. Oh, she's next door. Okay. She's coming around the mountain. Assembly Member Sharp Collins, whenever you're ready, you can proceed.

I appreciate the Committee's patience and understanding. I appreciate my witnesses ability to be flexible. So thank you guys so much. I really appreciate everyone's understanding and flexibility. Good afternoon chair Members.

Today I'm here to present AB 1433, a Bill that closes a long standing equity gap in California's community college funding system by expanding access to vital student support services at non credit centers and standalone college institutions that serve many of our state's veterans. Noncredit programs are critical to workforce development and also for our veterans.

These programs offer job training, ESL and adult education resources that help veterans transition to civilian careers and thrive after service. Yet they are not funded equitably.

Despite serving nearly 39,000 students in one year, including many veterans and service connected learners, the institutions like San Diego College of Continuing Education are excluded from funding streams that support academic advising, mental health services, disability accommodations and tutoring. This Bill does not take away from the traditional community colleges.

It simply ensures that noncredit centers and standalone colleges can access the same pool of funding to better serve serve their students. Without proper funding, veteran learners are being left behind. These students often face unique barriers like navigating benefits, coping with service related traumas, or balancing school with work and families.

They deserve wraparound support that meets them wherever they are. California's economic future depends on a skilled, inclusive workforce. Expanding funding eligibility will empower noncredit institutions to improve to improve their completion rates, build stronger community partnerships and better align with local labor market needs.

If we're serious about equity in education and honoring our veterans, the veterans services we must fully invest in every part of our community college system, including those that serve our most diverse and non traditional students. Institutions like San Diego Community College of Continuing Education, San Diego San Canyon College and Mount San Antonio College would benefit immediately.

This Bill will also encourage other community colleges to grow their non credit programs to qualify for this funding. Supporting this Bill means supporting working adults, immigrants and underserved communities who are striving to gain the skills they need to succeed in today's demanding economy and have access to diverse educational opportunities.

So with me here today, I'm thrilled to be joined with San Diego Colleges of Continuing Education President, a good friend of mine, Dr. Tina King, and Kevin Sullivan, who was also a student in the welding program at the San Diego College of Continuing Education, to provide additional testimony and also answer any questions should the Committee has any I'll turn it over to you.

Thank you so much. Good afternoon, Chair Good afternoon everyone. Chair Schiavo and Members of the Assembly Committee and on Military and Veterans affairs, thank you for the opportunities to speak with you today in favor of Assembly Bill 1433, which will significantly benefit our active military and veteran students who offer a pathway to careers through noncredit education centers, non credit colleges and career development and college preparation programs.

I would like to first thank Assembly Member Dr. Lashay Sharpe Collins for her support and advocacy of AB 1433. Dr. Tina King I proudly serve as the President of San Diego College of Continuing Education and I've been in higher education for about 20 years.

Specifically, 10 of those years have been dedicated to noncredit education and so I truly value and understand noncredit education. California is home to 1.8 million military veterans and each year approximately 55,000 veterans, active duty service Members and dependents enroll in community colleges seeking the education and skills training critical in their transition to civilian life.

Illumina foundation report shows that veterans are more likely than non veterans to opt for non credit credentials and veterans with certificates and certifications but no degrees are more likely to be working and earning significantly more compared to those without any credential.

Despite such data, noncredit adult education remains marginalized in funding for essential student support services like veteran resource centers, mental health counseling and disability support programs and services more commonly known as DSPS. Assembly Bill 1433 seeks to correct this injustice.

Noncredit education provides high quality cost, free training and wraparound services helping veterans and underserved residents move out of poverty and into good jobs or transfer opportunities. Noncredit colleges and career development college and preparation programs are vital to veterans workforce development, offering rapid upskilling and meets labor markets needs.

AB 1433 will establish a sustainable funding structure and AB 1433 will directly support the dedicated individuals who are serving and who have proudly served our nation.

Governor Newsom's recently released the Master Plan for California Career Education which emphasizes strengthening career pathways and he specifically calls out the non credit to credit transitions and that would be in direct alignment with AB 1433. The legislation is an investment.

I urge you to support AB 1433 to ensure equitable access to vital student services for active military and military veterans who often opt for the noncredit college route given the ability for them to transfer their skills from the military to short term certificates that lead to livable wages, livable jobs in the workforce.

Many of them leave the military with all of these skills and they don't have the time to go right into a four year institution and so this would give them the ability to take a short term certificate and enter right into the workforce.

I respectfully asked for an aye vote for Assembly Bill 1433 to support our veteran students. Again, I want to thank you so much for your time and I'm pleased to be joined with one of our students, Kevin Sullivan, to share his journey.

Thank you Madam Chair, Members of the Committee, My name is Kevin Sullivan. I'm a proud Navy Veteran of 26 years. I originally enlisted and later retired as an officer and I'm now a student at San Diego College of Continuing Education. After leaving the Navy, I faced a tough transition.

We like many veterans, I felt a little lost trying to redefine who I was and what I wanted to do next. I already had a Bachelor's degree and was considering a Master's, working toward it and after reflecting decided that wasn't going to be my path.

I had always been drawn to welding and when I found out I could pursue it for free at San Diego College of Continuing Education, I jumped at the opportunity. Getting into the program wasn't easy though.

It took me two years and I think that was because the strong reputation of the program and the high demand of community interest. For me and for many other veterans, noncredit programs are a lifeline and they should be easily accessible.

Welding program has given me the hands on tools and training to move forward without the heavy financial and academic pressures of traditional college. At the College of Continuing Education, I get to learn from highly trained faculty who teach us not just the trade, but the artistry of welding. They help us get certified, placed into jobs, or even explore entrepreneurship as welders.

Despite the great impact noncredit programs have for me and my fellow classmates, these programs don't receive the same funding and even though the impact they have, especially for veterans, non traditional and working adults, it's just as real, just as necessary, and just as life changing. AB 1433 would help level the playing field.

It ensures the community colleges have the resources to build and expand high quality non credit programs and student support services that are flexible and focused on getting people back into the workforce, getting certifications and pursuing their passions. There are many other student veterans who would benefit from the support 1433 would provide.

And I'm proud to be here speaking on behalf of my college. This isn't just about funding programs. It's about funding people. It's about equity, access and giving all of us a fair shot, especially those of us who've already given so much in service. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Are there any Members of the public who'd like to speak in support your name, organization and position, please?

Afternoon, Chair and Members. Danny Mae Santiago. On behalf of Calbright College, the California online Community College. On behalf of our over 7,000 students. And the only statewide community college district, we're in strong support of this Bill.

Good afternoon, I'm Shakira Carter representing the San Diego Community College District and San Diego College of continuing education. Over 28,000 students, we stand in strong support of AB 1343.

Good afternoon, my name is Ospier Anita Pierre and I'm a student and work. Study at Mid City Campus SDCCE.

Good afternoon. Dr. Franklin Garrett from San Diego College of Continuing Education. I'm in support of the Bill as well.

Hello, Yasmin Mena. I'm with San Diego College of Continuing Education. And I'm also in support of the Bill.

Hi, my name is Mental Lindsey. I am from San Diego College of. Continuing Education and I am here to support the Bill.

Hello, my name is Bella Yellen. I'm also with San Diego Continuing Education and I support the Bill.

Hi, Kasha Hunt with the North Orange County Community College District in support.

Good afternoon everyone. My name is Almira Innocent Serrano. I'm a counselor at San Diego College of Continuing Education and I'm here to support the Bill. Thank you so much. Dr. Sharp Collins, Dr. King and Mr. Kevin for being here today.

Thank you. Any primary witnesses in opposition? Anyone from the public in opposition? Seeing none. Back to the dais. Any questions? Okay. The Bill is moved in second. You know, I want to thank you so much. Your witnesses. Thank you for your service. Thank you for being here today and adding your voice, Mr. Sullivan and Dr. King.

This is, you know, a phenomenal program and I think it's been hard.

Some of these non credit courses have been hit a little bit with some recent changes that have been happening with community colleges and so the appreciate your work to make sure that these are lifted up and supported and the students going through these programs have the support that they need as well, so that they can access vocational training, workforce.

These are all things that as a state, we're working towards and saying we're supporting. And we need to do policies and put things in place to actually keep up with that promise and that commitment that we've made as a state. So thank you so much for your leadership on this. And would you like to close?

Thank you. I would just once again like to thank the chair and also the Members and those of you who came to testify. So, Dr. King and also Mr. Sullivan, thank you so much for your service. And I would like to also acknowledge my colleague, Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez. Thank you so much for your service as well. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you, Madam Secretary.

[Roll Call]

That Bill is out. 80. Thank you so much. And we'll go ahead and call the missing Members, go through the bills here. Madam Secretary. Thank you.

[Roll Call]

So just for a wrap up, all of our bills are out 8-0. AB571, Quirk Silva. AB1346, DeMaio on consent. AB1412, Jessica Gonzalez and 1433 Sharp Collins. And this concludes our Committee.