TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SLOW THE TRANSMISSION OF THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19), OUR OFFICE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED.  HOWEVER, WE ARE WORKING REMOTELY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE YOU.  OUR OFFICE PHONES ARE FORWARDING TO A LIVE PERSON FOR THE HOURS OF 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EXCLUDING HOLIDAYS.

PLEASE REACH OUT SHOULD YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING.

Office: (916) 651-1503

Chief Consultant: Veronica Badillo (veronica.badillo@sen.ca.gov)

Committee Assistant: Cindy Baldwin (cindy.baldwin@sen.ca.gov)

Republican Consultant: Richard Paul (richard.paul@sen.ca.gov)

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Currently, our hearing schedule is in flux and we cannot confirm cancellations or delays at this time.  Due to the fluid nature of this situation you are encouraged to call the committee line or email the staff contact listed above. 

Veterans Affairs Committee meets on call of the chairman as needed. Veterans Affairs Committee's designated hearing date is the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. in Room 2040.

Teleconference Instructions:

Due to the statewide stay-at-home order and guidance on physical distancing, seating for committee hearings will be very limited for press and for the public. All are encouraged to watch our hearing from its live stream on the Senate’s website at https://www.senate.ca.gov/

We encourage the public to submit written testimony before the hearing through the position letter portal. Please note that any written testimony submitted to the committee is considered public comment and may be read into the record or reprinted.

The Capitol will be open for attendance of committee hearings, but the public is strongly encouraged to participate via the web portal or telephonically.

Information regarding a call-in option for testimony will be made available and updated the night prior to the hearing date.

Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs hearing call-in information for August 10, 2020 

(Participant number: 1-844-291-6364) (ACCESS CODE: 9745877) 

Please note: In order for your testimony to be heard clearly, you must mute any devices you are using to live stream the committee hearing prior to calling into the teleconference service. Please do not testify using speakerphone or bluetooth, this can cause acoustic feedback and make it very difficult to hear your testimony. 

• Upon calling in, you will be placed in a “waiting room” where you will be muted but you can listen to the committee hearing as you wait.
• When a committee moves to public comment, a moderator will ask for anyone who is wishing to testify in “Support” of the bill to please press 1-0.  The moderator will again prompt those waiting in “Opposition” when the committee moves to opposition.  You should press 1-0 when you are prompted by the moderator – be sure to listen for support or opposition and DO NOT press 1-0 until the proper position has been asked for. 
• When you press 1-0 on your phone, you will wait and an operator will assign you a line number, at that time you will be placed in the queue for identification.  Remember your line number, the moderator will call out that number to identify YOU when it is your turn to testify.  OF IMPORTANT NOTE: If you press 1-0 a second time, you will remove yourself from the queue and you will not be identified to testify. Every time you press 1-0 you either put yourself “In queue” or take yourself “Out of queue” so listen carefully, and press 1-0 only once when you are prompted by the moderator.
• When you are successfully in the queue, with your assigned line number, the moderator will call out your line number, open your line, and at that time you may address the committee. You must have your own phone unmuted before you begin testimony.

JURISDICTION: Bills relating to veterans, military affairs, and armories. Bills amending the Military and Veterans Code.

For information on how to submit a position letter please see the directions below:

Advocacy Quick Reference Guide

Members:

Senator Bob Archuleta (Chair)
Senator Shannon Grove (Vice Chair)
Senator Melissa Hurtado
Senator Jim Nielsen
Senator Richard D. Roth
Senator Thomas J. Umberg
Senator Scott Wilk