When the department reviews the use of each home to determine the best continued, unrestricted use of the home, pursuant to Section 1074, the department shall additionally assess all of the following:

(a) The need by residents of state veteran homes in accessing care at a Veterans Health Administration medical center.

(b) The need by nonresident veterans in the communities where state veteran homes are located in accessing care at a Veterans Health Administration medical center.

(c) The potential for the Veterans Health Administration to place satellite medical clinics on the state veteran home campuses to serve both residents of the veteran homes and nonresident veterans in the communities where state veteran homes are located. In making this assessment, the department shall meet and confer with officials of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs on the possibility of locating satellite clinics on state veteran home campuses.

(d) The potential for the Veterans Health Administration to place satellite medical clinics within a 30-minute drive of a state veteran home campus to serve both residents of the veteran homes and nonresident veterans in the communities where state veteran homes are located. In making this assessment, the department shall meet and confer with officials of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs on the possibility of locating satellite clinics within a 30-minute drive of a state veteran home campus.

(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 194, Sec. 1. (SB 1195) Effective January 1, 2023.)