(a) For the purpose of this article, “club” also means a nonprofit umbrella organization established to provide a central meeting location, resources, and services specifically for veterans, including those on active duty, and that owns or leases, operates, and maintains a facility for these purposes. The nonprofit umbrella organization shall serve at least six veteran organizations, composed solely of veterans, that have been chartered by the Congress of the United States for patriotic, fraternal, or benevolent purposes and which post, chapter, camp, or other local unit has operated as such for not less than one year.

(b) For purposes of this section, members of the veteran organizations served by the nonprofit umbrella organization shall be deemed to be members of the nonprofit umbrella organization regardless of whether they are charged separate dues to hold that membership.

(c) The nonprofit umbrella organization shall obtain documentation from the veteran organizations it serves as may be necessary to establish that those veteran organizations meet the requirements of this section. The documentation shall be provided to the department upon demand.

(d) It shall be unlawful for any club licensed pursuant to this section to make any discrimination, distinction, or restriction against any person on account of the person’s color, race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, or age.

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 363, Sec. 1. (SB 905) Effective January 1, 2017.)