By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 1940

Davis, Zaffirini

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the fund for veterans' assistance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsections (a), (c), and (e), Section 434.017, Government Code, as redesignated and amended by Chapter 1418 (H.B. 3107), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The fund for veterans' assistance is a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund. The fund is composed of:

(1) money transferred to the fund at the direction of the legislature;

(2) money deposited to the credit of the fund under Section 502.1746, Transportation Code;

(3) gifts and grants contributed to the fund; and

(4) [(3)] the earnings of the fund.

(c) Money in the fund may be appropriated to the Texas Veterans Commission to:

(1) enhance or improve veterans' assistance programs, including veterans' representation and counseling; [and]

(2) make grants to [local communities to] address veterans' needs; and

(3) administer the fund.

(e) To carry out any purpose of this chapter, the Texas Veterans Commission may solicit and accept a gift, grant, devise, bequest of money, security, service, or property, including money raised or a service provided by a volunteer or volunteer group, to promote the work of the commission. The commission may participate in the establishment and operation of an affiliated nonprofit organization that is established for the purpose of raising money for or providing services or other benefits to the commission [The comptroller may solicit and accept gifts and grants to the fund]. A gift, [or] grant, devise, or bequest to the fund may be appropriated in the same manner as other money in the fund, subject to any limitation or requirement placed on the gift, [or] grant, devise, or bequest by the donor or granting entity.

SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 434.0171 to read as follows:

Sec. 434.0171. STATE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO FUND FOR VETERANS' ASSISTANCE. For purposes of Subchapter I, Chapter 659:

(1) the Texas Veterans Commission, for the sole purpose of managing the fund for veterans' assistance, is considered an eligible charitable organization entitled to participate in the state employee charitable campaign; and

(2) a state employee is entitled to authorize a deduction for contributions to the Texas Veterans Commission for the purposes of managing the fund for veterans' assistance as a charitable contribution under Section 659.132, and the Texas Veterans Commission may use the contributions for the purposes listed in Section 434.017(c), as redesignated and amended by Chapter 1418 (H.B. 3107), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.

SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 502.1746 to read as follows:

Sec. 502.1746. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO VETERANS' ASSISTANCE FUND. (a) When a person registers a motor vehicle under this chapter, the person is entitled to make a voluntary contribution in any amount to the fund for veterans' assistance established by Section 434.017, Government Code, as redesignated and amended by Chapter 1418 (H.B. 3107), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.

(b) The county assessor-collector shall send any contribution made under this section to the comptroller for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the fund for veterans' assistance before the 31st day after the date the contribution is made.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.