SRC-AMY S.J.R. 46 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.J.R. 46
78R5939 KEL-FBy: Fraser
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
3/24/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Article III, Section 49-b, Texas Constitution  allows the
Veterans' Land Board (VLB) to administer the Veterans' Land Program and
the Veterans' Housing Assistance Program.  However, the Texas Constitution
does not provide for the use of assets in the Veterans' Land or Housing
Assistance programs for the state veterans' home programs.   

As proposed, S.J.R. 46  provides 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 finds, authorizing VLB to use such receipts to pay
the debt service on  any revenue bonds issued by the VLB.  S.J.R. 46 also
authorizes the use of the funds' assets, if not needed for the purposes of
the fund, to be used for the planning and designing, construction,
acquisition, owning, operating, maintenance, enlargement, improvement,
furnishing, or equipping of veterans homes, and requires the submission to
the voters of a constitutional amendment.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article III, Section 49-b, Texas Constitution, by
amending Subsections (r) and (s), as follows: 

(r) Deletes text referring to bonds issued to provide funds to purchase
and sell lands to veterans or make home mortgage loans to veterans. 

(s) Includes in the list of authorized uses of assets from the Veterans'
Land Fund, the Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund, or the Veterans' Housing
Assistance Fund II, if not required for the purpose of the fund, the
planning and designing, construction, acquisition, owning, operating,
maintenance, enlargement, improvement, furnishing, or equipping of
veterans homes.  

SECTION 2.  Requires that this proposed constitutional amendment be
submitted to the voters at an election on November 4, 2003.  Sets forth
the required wording of the ballot.