By Flores, Chavez, Hinojosa, Miller,                   H.B. No. 310
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the establishment and operation of veterans cemeteries.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Section 164.001(a), Natural Resources Code, is
 1-5     amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (a)  The legislature declares that it is the policy of the
 1-7     state to provide financial assistance to veterans of the state in
 1-8     recognition of their service to this state and the United States
 1-9     and to honor veterans with a final resting place and with lasting
1-10     memorials that commemorate their service.
1-11           SECTION 2. Section 164.002(a), Natural Resources Code, is
1-12     amended by amending Subdivision (7) and adding Subdivision (8) to
1-13     read as follows:
1-14                 (7) "Veterans cemetery" means a burial ground operated
1-15     solely for the burial of veterans and their eligible relatives.
1-16                 (8)  "Veterans home" means a life care facility,
1-17     retirement home, retirement village, home for the aging, or other
1-18     facility that furnishes shelter, food, medical attention, nursing
1-19     services, medical services, social activities, or other personal
1-20     services or attention to veterans.
1-21           SECTION 3. Section 164.003, Natural Resources Code, is
1-22     amended to read as follows:
1-23           Sec. 164.003.  FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. The board may
1-24     establish one or more programs for providing financial assistance
1-25     to veterans under this chapter.  A program may be limited to the
 2-1     purpose of purchasing land, selling land to veterans, making home
 2-2     mortgage loans to veterans, or providing one or more veterans homes
 2-3     or veterans cemeteries.  To the extent a financial assistance
 2-4     program is for the purpose of purchasing land or selling land to
 2-5     veterans, the program shall be administered, to the extent
 2-6     consistent with this chapter and otherwise deemed practicable and
 2-7     desirable by the board, in accordance with the board's Veterans'
 2-8     Land Program.  To the extent a financial assistance program is for
 2-9     the purpose of making home mortgage loans to veterans, the program
2-10     shall be administered, to the extent consistent with this chapter
2-11     and otherwise deemed practicable and desirable by the board, in
2-12     accordance with the board's Veterans' Housing Assistance Program.
2-13           SECTION 4. Section 164.004, Natural Resources Code, is
2-14     amended to read as follows:
2-15           Sec. 164.004.  RULES. The board shall adopt rules providing
2-16     for the administration of its financial assistance programs
2-17     established under this chapter, including rules concerning:
2-18                 (1)  the purchasing of land and the selling of land to
2-19     veterans;
2-20                 (2)  the making of home mortgage loans to veterans;
2-21                 (3)  the use of insurance on land and homes as deemed
2-22     appropriate by the board, as further security for land sold or home
2-23     mortgage loans made;
2-24                 (4)  the criteria for approving lending institutions
2-25     participating in programs;
2-26                 (5)  the terms and conditions of a contract made with a
2-27     lending institution;
 3-1                 (6)  the construction, acquisition, ownership,
 3-2     operation, maintenance, enlargement, improvement, or furnishing or
 3-3     equipping of veterans homes or veterans cemeteries; and
 3-4                 (7)  other matters as the board deems appropriate.
 3-5           SECTION 5. Section 164.005, Natural Resources Code, is
 3-6     amended by amending Subsections (b), (c), and (e) and adding
 3-7     Subsection (f) to read as follows:
 3-8           (b)  In administering any of the board's financial assistance
 3-9     programs relating to veterans homes or veterans cemeteries, the
3-10     board, or the board in conjunction with other state or federal
3-11     agencies, may acquire by purchase, gift, devise, lease, or a
3-12     combination of those methods, construct, operate, enlarge, improve,
3-13     furnish, or equip one or more veterans homes or veterans
3-14     cemeteries.
3-15           (c)  The board may enter into an agreement with any person
3-16     for the management or operation of all or part of a veterans home
3-17     or all or part of a veterans cemetery.  The board may delegate to
3-18     the manager the authority to manage the veterans home or veterans
3-19     cemetery [center] and to employ and discharge employees.
3-20           (e)  On terms and conditions acceptable to it, the board may
3-21     accept and administer gifts, grants, or donations for the support,
3-22     acquisition, construction, operation, enlargement, improvement,
3-23     furnishing, or equipping of veterans homes  or veterans cemeteries
3-24     and may enter into agreements with a nonprofit corporation for the
3-25     solicitation, receipt, and disbursement of the gifts, grants, or
3-26     donations.
3-27           (f)  The board, the chairman of the Texas Veterans
 4-1     Commission, and two representatives of the veterans community
 4-2     selected by the chairman of the Texas Veterans Commission shall:
 4-3                 (1)  establish the guidelines for determining:
 4-4                       (A)  the location and size of veterans
 4-5     cemeteries; and
 4-6                       (B)  the eligibility for burial in a veterans
 4-7     cemetery; and
 4-8                 (2)  select up to seven locations across the state to
 4-9     build veterans cemeteries.
4-10           SECTION 6. Section 164.011(b), Natural Resources Code, is
4-11     amended to read as follows:
4-12           (b)  The board may by resolution provide for the
4-13     establishment, maintenance, and investment of additional funds into
4-14     which the board may deposit revenues from any financial assistance
4-15     program under this chapter that are not pledged to bonds, including
4-16     any gifts, grants, or donations accepted by the board for the
4-17     support, acquisition, construction, operation, enlargement,
4-18     improvement, furnishing, or equipping of veterans homes or veterans
4-19     cemeteries.
4-20           SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on the date on which
4-21     the constitutional amendment proposed by H.J.R. No. 82, 77th
4-22     Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, or similar legislation takes
4-23     effect.  If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act
4-24     shall have no effect.  H.B. 310 will not require an appropriation
4-25     from the general revenue fund.