Sacramento, CA – Assembly Bill 1637 by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) and Assemblymember Bloom (D-Santa Monica) was approved by the Assembly Transportation Committee. The bill would allow California veterans to apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for a “Veteran” designation on their driver’s license or identification card.
“47 other states have already passed legislation to provide this service to their veterans,” said Assemblymember Frazier. “California has the nation’s highest number of veterans, nearly 2 million, yet at least 1 million remain unaccounted for. This bill will assist County Veteran Service Officers in outreach efforts so that veterans know what their rights are, what their benefits are and what services they may be eligible for.”
Allowing individuals to apply for a driver’s license with a “Veteran” designation will allow them to quickly and easily identify themselves as veterans. It will also allow them to access the services and benefits they are entitled to without dealing with the impracticality of carrying around a DD-214, which contains sensitive personal information.
Additionally, a “Veteran” designation would be helpful to both law enforcement and medical professionals when treating veterans in emergency situations. The designation would allow law enforcement and medical professionals to identify the individual as a veteran, therefore ensuring that they are well informed when treating a veteran who may be suffering from medical trauma, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as a result of their service.
The bill passed with bipartisan support and now proceeds to the Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee.
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.
