AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

H.B. 906 amends the Government Code to include the spouse of a retired veteran who served a minimum of 20 years on active duty among the individuals who meet the service experience requirements necessary to qualify for appointment as a veterans county service officer.

 

Some counties have a shortage of qualified veteran county service officers. Without these officers, counties are ineligible to provide certain locally administered services. Current law considers only widows of a veteran or service member killed in action or spouses of disabled veterans to be eligible to serve. Spouses of retired veterans should be considered equally as qualified and able to advocate veterans' rights as spouses of deceased or disabled veterans.

 

H.B. 906 adds spouses of retired veterans who served at least 20 years on active duty to the list of individuals eligible to serve as veterans county service officers, which will permit counties to better serve their veterans by enabling them to find and retain qualified veterans county service officers

 

H.B. 906 amends current law relating to the qualifications for appointment as a veterans county service officer.

 

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 434.033(b), Government Code, as follows:

 

(b) Requires a person who is to be appointed as an officer to have the service experience specified by Subsection (c) (relating to qualifications necessary to meet the service experience requirement for veterans county service officers) or be the spouse of a retired veteran who served a minimum of 20 years on active duty.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.