By: Lucio S.B. No. 1660

(In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2011; March 23, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations; April 11, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 11, 2011, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1660 By: Estes

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain unclaimed property of veterans and veterans' families.

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

SECTION 1. Section 434.007, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 434.007. DUTIES. The commission shall:

(1) compile federal, state, and local laws enacted to benefit members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families and dependents;

(2) collect information relating to services and facilities available to veterans;

(3) cooperate with veterans service agencies in the state;

(4) inform members and veterans of the armed forces, their families and dependents, and military and civilian authorities about the existence or availability of:

(A) educational training and retraining facilities;

(B) health, medical, rehabilitation, and housing services and facilities;

(C) employment and reemployment services;

(D) provisions of federal, state, and local law affording rights, privileges, and benefits to members and veterans of the armed forces and their families and dependents; and

(E) other similar, related, or appropriate matters;

(5) assist veterans and their families and dependents in presenting, proving, and establishing claims, privileges, rights, and benefits they may have under federal, state, or local law;

(6) cooperate with all government and private agencies securing services or benefits to veterans and their families and dependents;

(7) investigate, and if possible correct, abuses or exploitation of veterans or their families or dependents, and recommend necessary legislation for full correction;

(8) coordinate the services and activities of state departments and divisions having services and resources affecting veterans or their families or dependents;

(9) provide training and certification of veterans county service officers and assistant veterans county service officers in accordance with Section 434.038; [and]

(10) through surveys or other reasonable and accurate methods of estimation, collect and maintain for each county in the state the number of servicemembers and veterans residing in the county and annually update and publish the information on the commission's website; and

(11) with the assistance and cooperation of the comptroller, inform and assist veterans and their families and dependents with respect to discovering and initiating claims for unclaimed property held by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

SECTION 2. 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, 2011.

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