BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2048
86R2321 YDB-D	By: Zaffirini
	Veteran Affairs & Border Security
	3/25/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

As veterans return from active duty and resume their daily lives, they often face numerous legal challenges including foreclosures, difficulties accessing military benefits, homelessness stemming from evictions, debt collection, phone harassment, child custody disputes, and divorce, among others. Accordingly, access to legal aid is indispensable for Texas veterans as they reintegrate into civilian life.

S.B. 2048 would authorize the Texas Veterans Commission provide grants funding pro bono legal services to veterans and active duty service members.

As proposed, S.B. 2048 amends current law relating to the use of the fund for veterans' assistance to provide pro bono legal services to veterans and active duty service members.

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 434.017(c), Government Code, as follows:

(c) Requires money appropriated to the Texas Veterans Commission under this subsection to be used for certain purposes, including to� make grants to provide pro bono legal services to veterans, active duty members of the United States armed forces, and members of the state military forces. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.�

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