For Immediate Release
September 19, 2025
Contact: Liliana Jimenez
(916) 319-206
Governor Gavin Newsom Signs AB 571 (Quirk-Silva), Advancing the Orange County Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon
SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) announced today that Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 571, her legislation establishing the framework for the long-awaited Orange County Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon.
AB 571 represents years of bipartisan collaboration and authorizes the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) to move forward with the environmental review and oversight needed for the cemetery project. With the Governor’s signature, responsibility now shifts to CalVet, marking the next major step in moving this project.
“Governor Newsom’s signature on AB 571 is a historic step for Orange County’s veterans,” said Assemblywoman QuirkSilva. “Together with CalVet, we are honoring the service of our veterans by bringing Orange County closer to the cemetery they have long deserved, I am profoundly grateful to Governor Newsom for his support and standing with our veterans in this decade-long fight.”
Supervisor Don Wagner added, “Today is a milestone for the veterans in Orange County. Because of the hard work and determination of Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, this important project will no longer be slowed by political opportunists who do not have in mind the best interests of our service men and women. I also thank the Governor for signing this bill and joining with the entire Orange County community to deliver a dignified Veterans Cemetery at Gypsum Canyon.”
“For over a decade veterans have done everything that the State and Federal Government have asked in order to build the Veteran Cemetery,” said Nick Berardino, President of VALOR. “This bill has cleared the way; there is absolutely no need for further delays. We thank our State Commander in Chief for signing this bill and his unwavering support for this critical veteran project”.
Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva has championed the effort for an Orange County Veterans Cemetery for over a decade, authoring multiple bills and securing millions in state funding to keep the project moving forward. Today’s signing represents another major victory for veterans, their families, and the broader Orange County community.
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Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva represents the 67th Assembly District, which includes the Orange County communities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, and La Palma, as well as the Los Angeles County communities of Artesia, Cerritos, and Hawaiian Gardens.
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