News 7

VETERANS BENEFITS, CONTINUED

HOUSEBOUND BENEFITS

     Housebound is paid in addition to monthly pension. Like A & A, Housebound benefits may not be paid without eligibility to pension. A veteran may be eligible for Housebound benefits when:
     1. The veterans has a single permanent disability evaluated as 100 Percent disabling AND, due to such disability, he/she is permanently and substantially confined to his/her immediate premises, OR
     2. The veterans has a single permanent disability evaluated as 100 percent disabling AND, another disability, or disabilities, evaluated as 60 percent or more disabling.
     A veteran cannot receive both Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits at the same time.
     A Veteran or surviving spouse may apply to the VA for Aid & Attendance or the Housebound benefit by submitting the VA form #21-2680 which details an examination by a doctor as to the physical status of the veteran or spouse.

TUSKEGEE AIRMEN CONTINUED from Page 8

      Nearly thirty years of anonymity were ended in 1972 with the founding of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. at Detroit, Michigan.
     The Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. exists solely to motivate and inspire young Americans to become participants in our nation's society and its democratic process.
     Major achievements are attributed to many of those who returned to civilian lie and earned positions of leadership and respect as businessmen, corporate executives, religious leaders, lawyers, doctors, educators, bankers and political leaders.
     Col Roberts retired from McClellan AFB in February 1968 after 27 years of active duty. He passed away in 1984. His wife Edith has continued to inform the public about the beginnings of the Airmen.

EDITH ROBERTS & DAUGHTER LANELLE

Due to the efforts of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Scholarship Program, each year, 45 high school graduates aspiring to aerospace technology careers receive over $67,500 nationally.

VETERAN LEGISLATION, CONTINUED

►►AB 1422 - Perea - Department of Veterans Affairs: Administration. - States the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Veterans Affairs identify any savings in the operations of the veterans home system and prioritize the allocation of those identified savings to offset any program reductions. Requires the department to make a report to the Legislature that would include information on the savings and the programs that were augmented with those identified savings. Supported by CSC-VVA.
►►SB 340 - Wolk - Remote Caller Bingo - Permits a city or county to permit the conduct of remote caller bingo games. Allows charitable organizations affiliated with community college districts to conduct such games. Requires eligible organizations to register annually. Provides for an Internet registry. Relates to audits. Authorizes a requirement that persons who manufacture or supply devices, supplies, or other services for use in remote caller bingo to register a copy of any local bingo license. Makes changes relating to car-minding devices. Supported by CSC-VVA.
►►SB 383 - Wolk - Remote Caller Bingo - Permits a city, county, or city and county to amend an existing ordinance that allows bingo games to be conducted to permit the conduct of remote caller bingo games. Includes within the entities authorized to conduct such games a charitable organization affiliated with a community college district. Deletes state licensure requirements. Requires entities to register with the Gambling Control Commission. Requires a related fee to be deposited into the Bingo Fund. Relates to the usage of card-minded devices. Supported by CSC-VVA.
►►SB 908 - Runner - Elections: Ballots: Submission by Electronic Mail - Permits a special absentee voter who is temporarily living outside of the territorial limits of the United States or the District of Columbia, or is called from military service within the United States to make application for a vote by absent voter ballot, to return his or her ballot by electronic mail. Requires the ballot to be accompanied by a copy of an identification envelope. Requires signature validation. Supported by CSC-VVA.
     We will have a few more to add in the next issue. At the recent VVA-CSC Legislative Day at the Capitol, Legislators were urged to find money in the budget to be able to open two new Veterans Homes in Fresno and Redding. Currently the Governor's budget proposal calls for another delay which would result in the homes not opening until January, 2014.
     This would not only do a disservice to the state's aged and disabled Veterans waiting for these homes to open, but would cost the state $280,000. just for security and maintenance on completed, shuttered, empty homes.
      This issue was addressed at an appropriations committee hearing during the VVA-CSC Legislative Day where Assemblywoman Linda Halderman, M.D. from the 29th District that includes Fresno, attended to speak for her bill AB2151 which would provide funds in the budget to open the homes. Several stages of the budget have yet to be completed before anyone can be sure what lies ahead for any of the Veteran issues that require funding.