BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 591

By: Lucio

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that the Texas Veterans Commission has as its mission advocacy for and provision of benefits and services to veterans. To increase awareness of those benefits and services, S.B. 591 requires the commission to conduct a community outreach campaign with express authority to contract with outside groups to implement the campaign and to solicit gifts and grants to fund the campaign.

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

S.B. 591 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Veterans Commission to conduct a community outreach campaign to provide information relating to and increase awareness of benefits and services available to veterans. The bill requires the community outreach campaign to include outreach efforts at community centers, places of worship, and any other place in a community where veterans routinely gather, as determined by the commission. The bill requires the commission to collaborate with, and authorizes the commission to contract with, community‑based, nonprofit, or private organizations to implement the community outreach campaign. The bill authorizes the commission to solicit and accept gifts and grants to fund the community outreach campaign. The bill requires the commission to establish the community outreach campaign not later than November 1, 2018, and to adopt any rules necessary to implement the campaign.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.