AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Interested parties note that since it was originally funded, the fund for veterans' assistance has awarded grants from several categories. These grants offer funding to nonprofit and local government organizations that provide certain services to Texas veterans and their families, including limited emergency assistance, transportation services, housing assistance, family and child services, and veterans courts services. However, the amount of funds needed continually exceeds the amount of funds available, leaving many worthy veterans unserved. H.B. 3710 seeks to help provide services for those veterans by providing for supplementary financial assistance to the fund.
H.B. 3710 amends the Government Code to authorize a person applying for an original or renewal concealed handgun license to make a voluntary contribution in any amount to the fund for veterans' assistance. The bill requires the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS) to include space on the first page of each application that allows the applicant to indicate the amount the applicant is voluntarily contributing to the fund and requires DPS to provide an opportunity for the person to contribute to the fund during the application process on the DPS website. The bill requires DPS to send any contribution to the comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the fund for veterans' assistance not later than the 14th day of each month. The bill authorizes DPS, before sending the money to the fund, to deduct money equal to the amount of reasonable expenses for administering the bill's provisions. The bill requires DPS, as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date, to modify the application form for a concealed handgun license to satisfy the bill's requirements.
H.B. 3710 amends current law relating to a voluntary contribution to the fund for veterans' assistance when applying for a concealed handgun license.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 434.017(a), Government Code, to add money deposited to the credit of fund under Section 411.1741 to a list of certain monies and gifts that make up the composition of the fund for veterans' assistance.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, by adding Section 411.1741, as follows:
Sec. 411.1741. VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TO FUND FOR VETERANS' ASSISTANCE. (a) Authorizes a person, when a person applies for an original or renewal license to carry a concealed handgun under this subchapter, to make a voluntary contribution in any amount to the fund for veterans' assistance established by Section 434.017 (Fund for Veterans' Assistance).
(b) Requires the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS) to:
(1) include space on the first page of each application for an original or renewal license to carry a concealed handgun that allows a person applying for an original or renewal license to carry a concealed handgun to indicate the amount that the person is voluntarily contributing to the fund; and
(2) provide an opportunity for the person to contribute to the fund during the application process for an original or renewal license to carry a concealed handgun on DPS's Internet website.
(c) Requires DPS to send any contribution made under this section to the comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the fund for veterans' assistance not later than the 14th day of each month. Authorizes DPS, before sending the money to the fund, to deduct money equal to the amount of reasonable expenses for administering this section.
SECTION 3. Require DPS, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to modify the application form for a license to carry a concealed handgun to satisfy the requirement of Section 411.1741, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2015.