California Military and Veterans Code

This act shall be known as the Military and Veterans Code.

The provisions of this code in so far as they are substantially the same as existing statutes relating to the same subject matter shall be construed as restatements and continuations thereof, and not as new enactments.

All persons who, at the time this code goes into effect, hold office under any of the acts repealed by this code, which offices are continued by this code, shall continue to hold the same according to the former tenure thereof.

No action or proceeding commenced before this code takes effect, and no right accrued, is affected by the provisions of this code, but all procedure thereafter taken therein shall conform to the provisions of this code so far as possible.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the general provisions hereinafter set forth shall govern the construction of this code.

Division, part, chapter, and article headings contained herein shall not be deemed to govern, limit, modify, or in any manner affect the scope, meaning, or intent of the provisions of any portion of this code.

Whenever, by the provisions of this code, a power is granted to a public officer or a duty imposed upon such an officer, the power may be exercised or duty performed by a deputy of the officer or by a person authorized pursuant to law by the officer, unless it is expressly otherwise provided.

Writing includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement or record is required by this code, it shall be made in writing in the English language unless it is otherwise expressly provided.

Whenever any reference is made to any section of this code or to any law of this State or the United States or to the Articles of War or the rules and regulations of the United States Army or Navy departments, such reference shall apply to all amendments and additions thereto now or hereafter made.

“Section” means section of this code unless some other statute is specifically mentioned.

The present tense includes the past and future tenses; and the future, the present.

The singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular.

“County” includes city and county.

“Shall” is mandatory and “may” is permissive.

“Oath” includes affirmation.

An oath authorized or required by Division 2 of this code or the regulations issued thereunder or the statutes or regulations governing the United States Army or United States Navy or United States Air Force or the National Guard or the Air National Guard or active militia may be taken before the following persons who…

“Signature” or “subscription” includes mark when the signer or subscriber cannot write, such signer’s or subscriber’s name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer’s or subscriber’s name; but a signature or subscription by mark may be acknowledged or may serve as a signature or s…

Whenever used in this code, in specifying or defining the rights of employees of the State, or of any county, city and county, city, public district of any type or class, or other public or municipal corporation who are absent from their duties as such employees while in the active military service of the United States…

“Spouse” includes “registered domestic partner,” as required by Section 297.5 of the Family Code.

There shall be in the State Government the Military Department.

The Military Department includes the office of the Adjutant General, the California National Guard, the State Guard, the California Cadet Corps, and the Naval Militia.

The Adjutant General succeeds to, and is vested with, the duties, power, purposes, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of the Division of Military Affairs and of the officers and employees of that division. The Adjutant General shall, in addition to all other duties, be the head of the Military Department and shall be r…

The Adjutant General may enter into agreements to provide for joint and several liability and indemnity to private agencies and persons for injuries to third parties arising out of a negligent act or omission by a member of the California National Guard while involved in on-the-job training.

The creation of the Military Department shall in no manner affect the status, position, pay, classification, rights, duties, obligations, responsibilities, or tenure, as the same exist on the effective date of this act, of any person, employee, appointee, officer, enlisted person, warrant officer or commissioned office…

(a) The Military Department may require service members, employees, volunteers, contractors, and subcontractors to undergo a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history background check. (b) The Military Department shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information for indivi…