C.S.H.J.R. 68 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.J.R. 68
By: Hupp
Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under Section 49 of Article III of the Texas Constitution the Veterans'
Land Board of the State of Texas (VLB) is authorized to administer the
Veterans' Land Program and the Veterans' Housing Assistance Program.  The
77th Legislature passed a constitutional amendment, which was approved by
the voters in November 2001, allowing excess assets in those programs also
to be used to plan and design, operate, maintain, enlarge, or improve
veterans cemeteries.  The Texas Constitution does not currently provide
for the use of assets in the Veterans' Land Program or the Veterans'
Housing Assistance Program for the state veterans home program.  HJR 68
would amend the Texas Constitution to provide that if the Veterans' Land
Board determines that receipts of the veterans' land fund, veterans'
housing assistance fund or veterans' housing assistance fund II are not
required for the payment of debt service on the general obligation bonds
benefitting those funds, the VLB may use such receipts to pay the debt
service on any revenue bonds issued by the VLB.  Also, this resolution
would allow the VLB to use assets from these various funds to plan,
design, construct, acquire, own, operate, maintain, enlarge, improve,
furnish, or equip veterans homes. 


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION  1.  HJR 68 would allow the VLB to use receipts in the Veterans
Land Fund, The Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund, or the Veterans' Housing
Assistance Fund II that are not needed for the purpose of paying debt
service on its general obligation bonds to pay principal and interest on
any of its revenue bonds.   

HJR 68 also authorizes the VLB, if they determine that assets from the
Veterans' Land Fund, the Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund, or the
Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund II are not required for the purposes of
the fund, to use those assets to plan and design, operate, enlarge, or
improve veterans homes.   

SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment will be submitted to
the voters on September 13, 2003.  This section quotes the ballot language
to be used. 

COMPARISON OF SUBSTITUTE TO THE ORIGINAL

The substitute changes the original version of the bill in SECTION 2 by
changing the date on which the amendment will be submitted to the voters
to September 13, 2003.