AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance (fund) is a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund. The primary source of support for the fund comes from the sale of the two dollar Veterans Cash scratch-off ticket, as well as gifts and grants contributed to the fund.
The fund is a program that makes reimbursement grants to eligible charitable organizations, local government agencies, and Veterans Service Organizations that provide direct services to Texas veterans and their families, including counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, limited emergency financial assistance, housing assistance for homeless veterans, and family and child services.
S.B. 1739 seeks to ensure that the money located in the fund is only appropriated to the Texas Veterans Commission to use for grant or contracts to address veterans' needs and to administer the fund.
As proposed, S.B. 1739 amends current law relating to the use of the fund for veterans' assistance.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 434.017, Government Code, by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1), as follows:
(c) Authorizes money in the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance (fund) to be appropriated to the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) only to make grants or contracts to address veterans' needs, and to administer the fund. Deletes existing text authorizing the money in fund to be appropriated to the TVC to enhance or improve veterans' assistance programs including veterans' representation and counseling. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(c-1) Prohibits money in the fund from being used to pay an employee's salary, except as need to administer the fund.
SECTION 2. Reenacts Sections 434.017(a) and (e), Government Code, as amended by Chapters 840 (S.B. 1940) and 1385 (S.B. 1655), Acts of the 81st Legistalure, Regular Session, 2009, and amends them, as follows:
(a) Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(e) Authorizes a gift or grant to the fund to be appropriated in the same manner as other money in the fund, subject to the purposes provided by Subsection (c) and any limitation or requirement period placed on the gift or grant by the donor or granting entity.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.