SACRAMENTO; The governor's office said Sept. 28, 2026, Gov. signed bipartisan legislation to improve access to benefits for veterans and active servicemembers and to strengthen support for military families.
The new laws include SB 296, which expands the disabled veteran homeowner property tax exemption to help keep disabled veterans in their homes; AB 2219, the Faster Services for Veterans Act, which the office said will improve coordination between CalVet and County Veteran Service Officers to reduce delays in accessing federal and state benefits; AB 2054, which clarifies the definition of “covered active duty” so Paid Family Leave covers stateside missions, extended training, and National Guard or Reserve activation; AB 2203, which gives priority registration at California Community Colleges, the CSU or UC to students using the CalVet College Fee Waiver or the federal GI Bill; and AB 1346, which extends in-state tuition eligibility for dependents returning to finish degree programs even if a service member has transferred or retired.
The practical effects are straightforward; disabled veterans may lower their property tax bills, veterans should face fewer administrative delays when applying for benefits, military families can use Paid Family Leave for a wider set of service-related absences, and student veterans and their dependents will have earlier access to course registration and in-state tuition when they reenroll.
The governor's office also noted that earlier this month Newsom signed laws ensuring veterans' access to abortion care within VA benefits and providing housing, employment, and transition support for servicemembers discharged under President ’s ban on trans service.
The announcement framed the new bills as part of a longer push since 2019; the governor's office said Newsom has directed more than $10.5 billion in investments for veterans, including housing, mental-health services, County Veterans Service Office support, and veteran consumer protections.
“Veterans served us honorably; now it’s our honor to serve them,” Newsom said in the signing message.
“Veterans should never have to fight through bureaucracy to access the benefits and support they earned through their service,” Assemblymember (D-Santa Clarita), chair of the Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, said in the release; she added that AB 2219 will connect veterans more quickly to VA and California programs and expand access in underserved communities.
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named 6 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
Federal
Donald J. Trump
President of the United States · Republican
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Daniel Torok / The White House (public domain)
State
Pilar Schiavo
State Assembly Member · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
Sources & methodology
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