ASSEMBLYWOMAN QUIRK-SILVA, 65TH DISTRICT
AB 1595 (QUIRK-SILVA & CHOI): VETERANS CEMETERY
SUMMARY
Assembly Bill 1595 seeks to authorize a state veterans cemetery at a location within the County of Orange.
BACKGROUND
Orange County is the State ’s largest county without a veterans cemetery. In 2014, the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) estimated that the County of
Orange was home to approximately 117,000 veterans.
Yet, Orange County veterans and their families must
travel to the Riverside National Cemetery in order for
their service members to be interred at a final and proper resting place.
In 2014, the Legislature approved Assemb ly Bill (AB)
1453 to begin the process of bringing a state veterans
cemetery to Orange County at the Amended and Restated
Development Agre ement (ARDA) site located at the
decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in the
City of Irvine. However, a l ack of consensus, public
opposition, and cost concerns prompted a renewed debate around the most suitable location for an Orange County
Veterans Cemetery.
In 2017, a second local site known as the “Strawberry
Fields” was proposed and accepted by the City of Irvine for consideration. Subsequently, in 2018, a grass roots initiative was passed at the local level overturning the City’s previous action. The City then directed staff to study a third proposed site known as the “Golf Course”
site, prompting the introduction and passage of AB 368 in 2019.
AB 368 directed CalVet to work with the Department of
General Services to deliver a site study analysis on both the ARDA and Golf Course locations. Upon the
completion of the study in 2021, the Irvine City Council received a presentation on the outcome of the site study and took no action, effectively preventing CalVet from
submitting an application for a federal grant to move the
process of building an Orange County Veterans Cemetery
forward.
Each time a new site is proposed, the Legislature has to introduce a new bill to amend the current law. The
legislative process takes a year or more.
AB 1595 removes the legislative step out of the process by broadly authorizing CalVet to: acquire, study, design,
develop, construct, and equip a state owned and state - operated Southern California Veterans Cemetery within
the County of Orange.
EXISTING LAW
Existing law only authorizes CalVet to evaluate the
placement of a veterans cemetery in one of two locations in Orange County, thereby excluding from consideration
any other site that might be deemed suitable by CalVet and the local community.
AB 1595 simplifies this process by broadly authorizing
CalVet in cooperation with the regional local government entities, to acquire, study, design, develop, construct and equip a state owned and operated Southern California
Veterans Cemetery within the County of Orange.
THIS BILL
AB 1595 will authorize a state veterans cemetery within the County of orange with input and support by the local community. The bill also includes an urgency clause so
that CalVet can promptly start an acquisition study of a proposed cemetery location, as required by law. AB 1595 represents an important milestone in finding a final resting place for Orange County veterans and their families.
SUPPORT
None received
ASSEMBLYWOMAN QUIRK-SILVA, 65TH DISTRICT
AB 1595 (QUIRK-SILVA & CHOI): VETERANS CEMETERY
CONTACT INFORMATION
Christopher Aguilera
Legislative Aide
Office of Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva,
(916) 319-2065
[email protected]