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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to required training for veterans county service officers |
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and assistant veterans county service officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 434.038, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (a-1), (c), and (e) and adding Subsection |
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(a-2) to read as follows: |
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(a) An officer shall, within the time after the date of the |
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officer's appointment that the commission prescribes, complete a |
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course of initial training [provided by the Texas Veterans
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Commission]. The commission shall issue the officer a certificate |
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of training after completion of the initial training course. To |
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maintain certification, the officer shall complete continuing |
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training to the extent required by the commission. An officer must |
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maintain certification to remain in office. |
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(a-1) Initial and continuing training required by this |
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section may be provided by: |
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(1) the commission; or |
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(2) a public or private entity approved by the |
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commission under Subsection (e). |
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(a-2) The commission shall develop and implement methods |
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for providing training to officers. The methods may include |
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Internet-based seminars, participation through videoconference, |
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cooperation with training provided by the United States Department |
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of Veterans Affairs, and other methods as appropriate. |
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(c) The commissioners court of an officer's county shall |
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reimburse an officer's travel and lodging expenses incurred in |
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attending [commission] training required under this section unless |
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state funds are appropriated for that purpose. If state funds are |
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appropriated, the commission shall make the reimbursement in the |
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manner prescribed for the reimbursement of these expenses to state |
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employees. |
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(e) The commission shall: |
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(1) maintain course materials and examinations in a |
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central location and provide county service offices and commission |
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field staff with access to the course materials on the commission's |
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Internet website; |
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(2) regularly update course materials, training |
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curriculum, and examinations after consulting with: |
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(A) the United States Department of Veterans |
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Affairs to ensure the course materials, training curriculum, and |
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examinations are accurate and meet applicable United States |
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Department of Veterans Affairs requirements; and |
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(B) accredited county service officers to ensure |
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the materials, training curriculum, and examinations include |
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issues developing at the county level; |
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(3) develop a training handbook containing |
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instruction and case studies addressing: |
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(A) general assistance techniques, including how |
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to provide general information regarding state and federal benefits |
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and referrals for other services and to other agencies, and general |
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information regarding state and federal benefits; |
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(B) basic counseling approaches for assisting |
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veterans, their family members, and other eligible dependents |
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filing benefit claims; |
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(C) basic information on United States |
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Department of Veterans Affairs processes and procedures, including |
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how to accurately complete claims and appeals forms and how to |
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support claims; |
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(D) methods of collecting required documentation |
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and developing claims and appeals; |
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(E) methods of documenting progress and updating |
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a veteran's, a veteran's family member's, or another eligible |
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dependent's case information; |
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(F) methods of assisting veterans, their family |
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members, or other eligible dependents in pursuing appeals, |
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including offering case knowledge in appeals hearings; and |
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(G) methods of representing veterans, their |
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family members, or other eligible dependents during appeals |
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hearings; [and] |
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(4) coordinate with the Department of State Health |
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Services to incorporate a suicide prevention component as part of |
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the accreditation training and examination; and |
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(5) approve public or private entities to provide the |
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initial and continuing training required by this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |