Section 970.

(a) The board of supervisors of each county may, but is not required to, appoint, prescribe the qualifications of, and fix the compensation of an officer to be titled "county veterans service officer." The appointee shall be a veteran.

(b) It shall be the duty of the county veterans service officer to administer the aid provided for in this chapter, to investigate all claims, applications, or requests for aid made pursuant to the terms of this chapter, and to perform any other veteran related services as requested by the county board of supervisors.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), two or more counties may jointly establish a single veterans service office which shall serve all the counties that agree to the joint establishment of that office.

(d) This section shall become operative January 1, 1995.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1274, Sec. 2) by Stats. 1993, Ch. 138, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1994. Section operative January 1, 1995, by its own provisions.)