(a) Notwithstanding § 13340 of the Government Code, an amount, not to exceed the sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), is hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, from the Veterans’ Home Fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, for the state’s matching share for the design, construction, equipping, and renovation of the Veterans’ Home of California, Yountville, as described in Section 1011.

(b) Excluding any funds required to pay for costs associated with issuing and administering general obligation bonds, any remaining general obligation bond funds available in the Veterans’ Home Fund created under Section 1103 after funding the design, construction, equipping, expansion, or renovation of the Lancaster, Saticoy, West Los Angeles, or Yountville veterans homes, as specified in Section 1104.1 and subdivision (a), and projects funded through any Budget Act, are, notwithstanding § 13340 of the Government Code, hereby continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal years to the Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, to fund the state’s matching share for renovations, design, construction, and equipping at Yountville consistent with the purposes established in subdivision (a) of Section 1104.

(c) Notwithstanding § 13340 of the Government Code, in addition to the funds appropriated pursuant to this section, the federal matching funds available pursuant to the State Veterans’ Home Assistance Improvement Act of 1977 (38 U.S.C. § 8131 et seq.), are hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, to the Department of Veterans Affairs, subject to the approval of the Department of Finance, for the purpose of design, construction, equipping, renovation of, or expansion or repayment of any loan related to, the projects specified in this section.

(d) Subject to approval of the Department of Finance, the Department of Veterans Affairs may expend state funds pursuant to this section for the design of projects specified in this section in anticipation of the receipt of federal matching funds.

(e) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall prepare and submit a report to the Legislature and Governor semiannually, beginning on March 1, 2005, on the progress of the acquisition, design, equipping, construction, establishment, and expansion of the veterans’ homes specified in § 15819.60 of the Government Code, including updated cost estimates and a synopsis on the efficacy of the design-build procurement process.

(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 460, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2006.)