Sacramento, CA –Assembly Bill 935 (2014) by Assemblymember Frazier took effect Nov. 12, and will allow United States military service members to apply for a California driver’s license or identification card with a “Veteran” designation.

“With the growing population of veterans returning to California, it is our responsibility to help make sure they are well-equipped to integrate back into civilian life,” said Assemblymember Frazier. “Assembly Bill 935 helps us fulfill that pledge to our veterans. Proof of military service is now literally at the individual’s fingertips, which will help ensure that California veterans are receiving all the benefits and services they’re rightfully entitled to.”

This designation will provide stress-free identification while also improving veteran outreach and tracking. Those who are interested in getting the specialized license must first visit their County Veteran Service Officer (CVSO) to get the application. There are a number of federal, state and local benefits and services available to veterans, such as assistance with employment, housing, health and counseling and educational opportunities. Most of these services are coordinated through CVSOs, who are primarily responsible for helping veterans, their dependents and survivors access the claims, benefits and services they are entitled to as a result of their service.

“AB 935 will be instrumental in helping California identify the one million veterans who are unaccounted for and not receiving benefits,” said Pete Conaty, retired Army veteran and advocate for over 20 veterans groups. “Once these individuals are identified, this bill has the potential to bring in an estimated $750 million in direct federal benefits annually to our state’s military service members. It took four legislative bills over a two-year period to finally achieve this goal, and we want to thank Assemblyman Frazier for his tenacity on this issue.”

Those who have served in the United States military can apply for the specialized license in three easy steps:

Step one: Find your military discharge certificate (DD214). If you need assistance obtaining your military records, contact a CVSO and schedule an appointment by visiting www.calvet.ca.gov or calling 1-800-952-5626.

Step two: Take your DD214 and government identification to your CVSO to obtain your Veteran Status Verification Form. The CVSO will check for additional benefits and services that you may not have known you were eligible for.

Step three: Schedule an appointment at the DMV. You can visit www.dmv.ca.gov or call 1-800-777

0133 to set a date and time that works for you. On your scheduled date, bring your Veteran Status Verification Form to the DMV. Complete your application and pay any application fees, plus a $5.00

fee for your “Veteran” designation.

“We have worked hard to cut through the red tape and make this process as easy as possible for our veterans,” said Assemblymember Frazier. “In these three simple steps, our service members will be able to proudly display their status as a veteran on their driver’s license or identification card. It’s a way for California to express gratitude for our military service members every day of the year, not just on designated holidays.”

To contact Assemblymember Jim Frazier please visit his website at www.asmdc.org/frazier or call his District Offices at 707-399-3011 or 925-513-0411.

Follow Assemblymember Jim Frazier on Facebook and “Like” him for updates on events and happenings in the 11th AD.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 13th, 2015 at 9:49 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.