Honorable Dan Flynn, Chair, House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB607 by Watson (Relating to the operations and functions of the Veterans’ Land Board and the sunset review date for and programs administered by the board.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
The fiscal implications to the State cannot be determined due to the number of Texas State Guard members who would receive loans through the Veterans' Land Board being unknown. Any fiscal implications that would be realized from the loans would be to the Veterans Land Program Administration Fund No. 522, which is an Other Fund.
The bill would amend the Natural Resources Code regarding the Veterans' Land Board (VLB). The bill would extend the Sunset Act review date for the VLB from 2019 to 2031. As a constitutionally-created board, the VLB is subject to review but not abolishment under the Sunset Act. The bill would require the VLB to develop and implement policies that clearly separate its policy-making responsibilities from its management responsibilities. The bill would require the Commissioner of the General Land Office to create a training manual for VLB members. The bill would also make certain members of the Texas State Guard eligible to apply for loans administered by the VLB. Depending on the number of Texas State Guard members who receive loans though the VLB, there could be a fiscal impact to Veterans Land Program Administration Fund No. 522, which is an Other Fund.
This analysis assumes the provisions of the bill, apart from the loans from the newly established land loan program discussed above, could be implemented with existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
116 Sunset Advisory Commission, 403 Veterans Commission, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board