BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3710

By: Blanco

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

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 (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 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.