Sacramento, CA – Assembly Bill 1029 by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D – Oakley) successfully passed its last hurdle in the Assembly with a bipartisan Floor vote of 76-0. The bill would create a certification process to insure that public resources for veterans are dedicated to the most qualified California Veteran Service Providers.
“Veterans comprise roughly 25 percent of California’s homeless population, an estimated 35,000 men and women who have proudly served our nation,” said Assemblymember Frazier. “When returning service members seek assistance through state services, they deserve peace of mind in knowing that their access to resources comes from a trustworthy provider. This long overdue bill will insure that organizations who serve veterans can properly demonstrate that they are accountable, competent, and meet quality standards.”
Both federal and state laws require financial reporting from all charities, but require little in the way of reporting results of services these charities claim to provide. Though many organizations offer necessary help, others spend much of their money — sometimes most of it — on the organization’s overhead expenses rather than the services promised to veterans. Charity fraud varies from outright scams to a misrepresentation of how much of a donation actually goes to help veterans. AB 1029 addresses this issue by creating statewide standards and certification for community based non-profit veteran service providers.
“AB 1029 will insure that veteran service providers are fiscally and professionally qualified, that state resources are targeted effectively, and that veterans receive the best possible care,” said Charles Helget, Executive Director of the California Association of Veteran Service Agencies (CAVSA). “The proposed certification process would also require applicants to demonstrate that they meet state charitable solicitation standards to help assure that private donations serve veterans and not professional fundraisers. CAVSA is very grateful for Assemblymember Frazier’s staunch leadership on veteran’s issues and for his sponsorship of this bill.”
AB 1029 is sponsored and supported by numerous veteran support groups, and now moves on to the Senate. For more information, or to track the bill’s status, please click here.
To contact Assemblymember Jim Frazier please visit his website at http://www.asmdc.org/members/a11/ or call his District Offices at 707-399-3011 or 925-778-5790.
