AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 13, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 18, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

Introduced by Assembly Member Ward

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Haney, Pellerin, and Stefani)

February 9, 2026

An act to amend Sections 115.4 and 115.8 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 885 of, and to add Section 886 to, the Military and Veterans Code, relating to veterans.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the Department of Consumer Affairs under the direction of the Director of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the administration of the various boards under its jurisdiction that license and regulate various professions and vocations. Existing law requires those boards to expedite, and authorizes them to assist, the initial licensure process for an applicant who supplies satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant has served as an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States and was honorably discharged.

This bill would extend that requirement and authorization to also include members who were discharged or received a discharge solely as a result of a specified executive order. The bill would extend the requirement and authorization for the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, commencing June 1, 2027. The bill would make additional conforming changes.

Existing law requires the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Veteran’s Military Discharge Upgrade Grant Program to help fund service providers who, for free or at low cost, will educate veterans about discharge upgrades and assist veterans in filing discharge upgrade applications, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to prioritize veteran recipients of the services, such as prioritizing those who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation.

This bill would instead require the program to help fund service providers who will educate veterans on the above-described services at no cost. The bill would additionally require the department to prioritize veteran recipients recipients, regardless of discharge status, who are able to demonstrate that their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental behavioral health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate their characterization of service was connected to gender identity.

This bill would additionally require the department, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Veteran’s Housing and Supportive Services Grant Program to help fund service providers who, for at no cost, will provide housing supports for veterans being discharged from service. veterans. The bill would require the department to develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program, and to prioritize veteran recipients recipients, regardless of discharge status, who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental behavioral health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate their characterization of service was connected to gender identity.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 115.4 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

115.4.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, and except as provided in subdivision (e), on and after July 1, 2016, a board within the department shall expedite, and may assist, the initial licensure process for an applicant who supplies satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant has served as an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States and was honorably discharged or received a discharge solely as a result of Executive Order No. 14183 issued on January 27, 2025.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, on and after July 1, 2024, a board within the department shall expedite, and may assist, the initial licensure process for an applicant who supplies satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant is an active duty member of a regular component of the Armed Forces of the United States enrolled in the United States Department of Defense SkillBridge program as authorized under Section 1143(e) of Title 10 of the United States Code.

(c) A board may adopt regulations necessary to administer this section in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(d) For purposes of this section, the term “applicant” refers to an applicant for an individual license and does not refer to applicants for business or entity licenses.

SEC. 2.

Section 115.8 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

115.8.

The Department of Consumer Affairs shall compile information on military and spouse licensure into an annual report for the Legislature, which shall be submitted in conformance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include all of the following for each license type of each board:

(a) The number of applications for a temporary license submitted by military spouses per fiscal year, pursuant to Section 115.6.

(b) The number of applications for expedited licenses received from honorably discharged military members and military spouses, or those who received a discharge solely as a result of Executive Order No. 14183 issued on January 27, 2025, pursuant to Sections 115.4 and 115.5.

(c) The number of licenses issued and denied per fiscal year pursuant to Sections 115.4, 115.5, and 115.6.

(d) The number of licenses issued pursuant to Section 115.6 that were suspended or revoked per fiscal year.

(e) The number of applications for waived renewal fees received and granted pursuant to Section 114.3 per fiscal year.

(f) The average length of time between application and issuance of licenses pursuant to Sections 115.4, 115.5, and 115.6.

SEC. 3.

Section 885 of the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read:

885.

(a) The department shall establish the Veteran’s Military Discharge Upgrade Grant Program to help fund service providers who, at no cost, will educate veterans about discharge upgrades and assist qualifying veterans in filing discharge upgrade applications.

(b) The department shall develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program. The department shall prioritize veteran recipients recipients, regardless of discharge status, who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental behavioral health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate their characterization of service was connected to gender identity.

(c) Funding for the grant program is subject to appropriation by the Legislature.

(d) The department may adopt regulations as necessary to implement this section.

SEC. 4.

Section 886 is added to the Military and Veterans Code, to read:

886.

(a) The department shall establish the Veteran’s Housing and Supportive Services Grant Program to help fund service providers who, for at no cost, will provide housing supports for veterans being discharged from service. veterans.

(b) The department shall develop criteria, procedures, and accountability measures as may be necessary to implement the grant program. The department shall prioritize veteran recipients recipients, regardless of discharge status, who are able to demonstrate their less than honorable characterization of service was connected to a mental behavioral health condition, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault or harassment, or sexual orientation or who are able to demonstrate their characterization of service was connected to gender identity.

(c) Funding for the grant program is subject to appropriation by the Legislature.

(d) The department may adopt regulations as necessary to implement this section.