By King of Uvalde H.B. No. 745
77R3335 JRD-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to establishing a permanent fund for certain veterans'
1-3 care purposes.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 403.108 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 403.108. PERMANENT FUND FOR VETERANS' CARE. (a) The
1-8 permanent fund for veterans' care is a special fund in the state
1-9 treasury outside the general revenue fund. The fund is composed
1-10 of:
1-11 (1) money transferred to the fund at the direction of
1-12 the legislature;
1-13 (2) gifts and grants contributed to the fund; and
1-14 (3) the available earnings of the fund determined in
1-15 accordance with Section 403.1068.
1-16 (b) Except as provided by Subsections (c) and (e), money in
1-17 the fund may not be appropriated for any purpose.
1-18 (c) The available earnings of the fund may be appropriated
1-19 to:
1-20 (1) the Veterans' Land Board for programs relating to
1-21 veterans' homes under Chapter 164, Natural Resources Code;
1-22 (2) the Texas Veterans Commission:
1-23 (A) to make grants to counties for the purpose
1-24 of purchasing burial grounds for veterans under Section 713.029,
2-1 Health and Safety Code; and
2-2 (B) if the commission is authorized to do so
2-3 under other law, to design, build, and operate a system of state
2-4 veterans' cemeteries; and
2-5 (3) the Texas Veterans Commission to improve or
2-6 enhance veterans' health care and to make grants to local
2-7 communities to address veterans' health care needs.
2-8 (d) The Texas Veterans Commission shall adopt rules
2-9 governing the award of grants by the commission under this section.
2-10 (e) The comptroller may solicit and accept gifts and grants
2-11 to the fund. A gift or grant to the fund may be appropriated in
2-12 the same manner as the available earnings of the fund, subject to
2-13 any limitation or requirement placed on the gift or grant by the
2-14 donor or granting entity.
2-15 (f) Sections 403.095 and 404.071 do not apply to the fund.
2-16 SECTION 2. Section 403.1068(a), Government Code, is amended
2-17 to read as follows:
2-18 (a) This section applies only to management of the permanent
2-19 funds established under Sections 403.105, 403.1055, 403.106,
2-20 403.1065, [and] 403.1066, and 403.108.
2-21 SECTION 3. On the effective date of this Act, the comptroller
2-22 shall transfer $150 million from the general revenue fund to the
2-23 permanent fund for veterans' care established by Section 403.108,
2-24 Government Code, as added by this Act.
2-25 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.