BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 1714
79R10151 MCK-F By: Van de Putte
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The federal government, under Chapters 41 and 42, Title 38, United States Code, through the Department of Labor's Veteran's Employment and Training Services, funds the disabled veteran outreach program and local veterans employment representative (DVOP/LVER) programs. The Texas DVOP/LVER programs are administered by the Texas Workforce Commission (commission).
Currently, DVOP/LVER staffers are state employees working at each local workforce development board. Current Texas statute specifies that block grant funding for local workforce development areas is not applicable for veteran employment programs. However, some people have attempted to bring the federal DVOP/LVER program staff under block grants in order to privatize the programs. Under the block grant programs, private contractors administer the local boards.
Privatizing the DVOP/LVER programs would allow the local boards to de-prioritize these important veterans programs. These programs were specifically exempted from block grant funding, at both the federal and state level, because the state needs to maintain its high prioritization of veterans.
C.S.S.B. 1714 bolsters the original intent of the law by more specifically requiring that the DVOP/LVER programs be operated, rather than administered, by the commission, and that the staff of these programs be state employees and serve only veterans, as required by the terms of the federal grants.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 302.021, Labor Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1), as follows:
(b) Deletes the requirement that the Texas Workforce Commission (commission) administer programs to enhance the employment opportunities for veterans of the armed services of the United States.
(b-1) Requires the commission, in addition to the programs consolidated under the commission's authority under Subsection (a) and the programs and services administered by the commission under Subsection (b), to operate programs in this state to enhance the employment opportunities of veterans of the armed forces of the United States, including the employment program funded under Chapters 41 and 42, Title 38, United States Code. Requires the programs described by this subsection to exclusively enhance the employment opportunities of eligible veterans, and the services provided under those programs to be provided by state employees. Authorizes a state employee providing services under this subsection to only provide services to veterans.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 302.062(g), Labor Code, to make a conforming change.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2005.