Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has signed into law several bipartisan bills that improve services and opportunities for veterans in California.

These news laws enhance, extend or create opportunities that make getting an education, securing meaningful employment, and accessing benefits earned through military service easier for veterans and their families.

Specifically, these new laws:

• give veterans academic credit for certain prior military academic experience (AB 2462);
• increase the number of years after leaving active duty California veterans are eligible for California college priority registration (AB 2133);
• expand the current exemption given to veterans from paying non-resident tuition at California community colleges (AB 2478);
• expedite the professional and vocational licensure process for military spouses and domestic partners of certain active-duty military members (AB 1904);
• allows accountants to have their licenses placed on military inactive status while engaged in armed forced or National Guard active duty (SB 1405);
• allow licensed drivers of military commercial vehicles to qualify for a California commercial driver's license without additional California driving tests (AB 2659);
• allow the Adjutant General to establish support programs, acquire facilities and solicit and accept donations for the benefit of military personnel and their families (SB 1413);
• provide restorative relief to a veteran defendant who acquires a criminal record due to a mental disorder stemming from military service (AB 2371);
• authorizes regulations necessary to allow financing of cooperative dwelling units (AB 1224);
• reinstate state veterans benefits that were denied solely on the basis of sexual orientation when the federal government first reinstates those benefits (AB 1505);
• allows a reduced fee sport fishing license for active military personnel who are recovering service members (SB 1287);
• allows a reduced-fee hunting license for military personnel who are recovering service members (SB 1288);
• develop policies to assist veteran inmates in pursuing veterans benefits (AB 2490);
• designates the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research to serve as the state’s liaison with the U.S. Department  of Defense (AB 342);
• increases fees required to issue, renew, and personalize specialized veterans’ license plates to fund veterans’ organizations (AB 1550);
• allow Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children task force to reconvene and make recommendations (AB 2202);
• change county veteran service officer reporting requirements to ensure the programs are maximizing support to veterans (AB 2198);
• require CalVet to provide veterans with information about federal veteran pensions, federal housing vouchers, and CalFresh (SB 1198).

“These bills show our commitment to serving those who have served,” said California Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Peter J. Gravett. “And we should always honor and remember the service and sacrifice of the men and women who have served this state and nation in uniform.”

“This comprehensive package of legislation signed by Gov. Brown continues to demonstrate that California is fulfilling its obligation to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much,” said Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, California National Guard adjutant general.

For full text of the bills, visit http://leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html .