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          A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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          AN ACT
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        relating to the allocation of certain grants from the fund for  | 
      
      
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        veterans' assistance. | 
      
      
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               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
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               SECTION 1.  Section 434.017, Government Code, is amended by  | 
      
      
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        adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to read as follows: | 
      
      
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               (c-1)  Not later than May 1 of each even-numbered year, the  | 
      
      
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        commission shall: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  conduct a needs assessment to identify the  | 
      
      
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        specific high-priority needs of veterans and the services available  | 
      
      
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        to address those needs; | 
      
      
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                     (2)  determine the grant categories that correspond to  | 
      
      
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        the high-priority needs identified under Subdivision (1); and | 
      
      
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                     (3)  identify any gaps between the needs identified  | 
      
      
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        under Subdivision (1) and the services available to address those  | 
      
      
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        needs. | 
      
      
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               (c-2)  The commission shall incorporate the results of the  | 
      
      
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        needs assessment and other determinations under Subsection (c-1) in  | 
      
      
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        its process for awarding grants, including the prioritization of  | 
      
      
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        grant awards, from the fund for veterans' assistance. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 2.  Not later than May 1, 2014, the Texas Veterans  | 
      
      
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        Commission shall conduct a needs assessment and make other  | 
      
      
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        determinations required by Section 434.017(c-1), Government Code,  | 
      
      
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        as added by this Act. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |