Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 1859	Senate Author:  Hancock
Effective:  9-1-23	House Sponsor:  Raymond

            Senate Bill 1859 amends the Government Code to revise, update, remove, and repeal provisions relating to assistance and services for veterans, including the removal of statutory references to inactive state agencies and programs. The bill, among other provisions, does the following:

·       revises procedures regarding the format and distribution method for the state veterans benefits booklet created by the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC);

·       specifies that a performance incentive to an individual or an entity for providing services to veterans is a monetary award only; and

·       revises the information that must be used by the TVC in evaluating and improving the administration of claims assistance services for veterans.

Finally, the bill repeals the "TAPS" tuition voucher program and the authorization for TVC to accept donated computers from any person for the establishment of a program to provide computers at no cost to interested veterans county service officers.