AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services (TCCVS) was created by S.B. 1796, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, to coordinate the activities of state agencies that assist veterans, service members, and their families; coordinate outreach efforts that ensure that veterans, service members, and their families are made aware of services; and facilitate collaborative relationships among state, federal, and local agencies and private organizations to identify and address issues affecting veterans, service members, and their families.
S.B. 1892 seeks to expand and codify the list of state agency representatives on TCCVS, and clarify and simplify the structure of the workgroups to allow more flexibility to TCCVS. The bill adds a transportation workgroup that may be created by a majority vote of TCCVS.
The changes to TCCVS will improve the structure and efficiency of the meetings and goals of TCCVS, and allow for flexibility with workgroups. After the first year of meeting, it was evident that there were some agencies that were not originally included in the statute that play a big role in providing veterans' services. The bill includes these important agencies on TCCVS. Additionally the bill adds a workgroup, and simplifies the language regarding the workgroups to provide greater efficiency of agency staff time.
As proposed, S.B. 1892 amends current law relating to the composition of the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services and its coordinating workgroups.
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 Section 434.153, Government Code, as follows:
Sec. 434.153. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. Provides that the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services (TCCVS) is composed of the executive head of the following agencies, or that person's designated representative:
(1)-(3) Makes no changes to these subdivisions;
(4)-(5) Makes nonsubstantive changes;
(6) the Office of Acquired Brain Injury;
(7) the Department of State Health Services;
(8) the Department of Aging and Disability Services;
(9) the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services;
(10) the Department of Family and Protective Services;
(11) the Texas Workforce Commission;
(12) the Texas Workforce Investment Council;
(13) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
(14) the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation;
(15) the Texas Department of Public Safety;
(16) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
(17) the Texas Commission on Jail Standards;
(18) the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education;
(19) the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs;
(20) the Texas Department of Transportation;
(21) the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles; and
(22) the Office of Public Utility Counsel.
SECTION 2. Amends Sections 434.154(a) and (g), Government Code, as follows:
(a) Adds a transportation workgroup and a women veterans workgroup to a list of certain coordinating workgroups that TCCVS is authorized, by majority vote, to establish to focus on specific issues affecting veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(g) Authorizes each member of TCCVS to invite organizations or agencies that provide services to veterans, servicemembers, and their families, but that are not otherwise members of TCCVS, to each designate a representative to participate in a coordinating workgroup through procedures established by TCCVS, rather than authorizing each member of TCCVS to invite one organization or agency that provides services to veterans, servicemembers, and their families, but that is not otherwise a member of TCCVS, to designate a representative to participate in a coordinating workgroup through procedures established by TCCVS.
SECTION 3. Repealers: Sections 434.154(b) (relating to including certain agency executive heads or that person's designated representative if TCCVS votes to establish a health or mental health coordinating workgroup), (c) (relating to including certain agency executive heads or that person's designated representative if TCCVS votes to establish an employment coordinating workgroup), (d) (relating to including the commissioner of higher education if TCCVS votes to establish a higher education workgroup), (e) (relating to including certain agency executive heads or that person's designated representative if TCCVS votes to establish a criminal justice coordinating workgroup), and (f) (relating to including certain agency executive heads or that person's designated representative if TCCVS votes to establish a housing coordinating workgroup), Government Code.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2013.