By: Lopez H.B. No. 474
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of the Texas Veterans County Service
  Officer Task Force.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 434, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 434.040 to read as follows:
         Sec. 434.040.  TEXAS VETERANS COUNTY SERVICE OFFICER TASK
  FORCE. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Rural county" means a county with a population of
  less than 200,000.
               (2)  "Task force" means the Texas Veterans County
  Service Officer Task Force.
               (3)  "Urban county" means a county with a population of
  200,000 or more.
         (b)  The Texas Veterans County Service Officer Task Force is
  established to study the impact and efficacy of officers in this
  state.
         (c)  The task force is composed of the following nine
  members:
               (1)  the chair of the House Committee on Defense and
  Veterans' Affairs;
               (2)  the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran
  Affairs and Border Security;
               (3)  a representative of the commission;
               (4)  the chair of the Veterans County Service Officer
  Advisory Committee;
               (5)  a representative of the Texas Coalition of
  Veterans Organizations;
               (6)  an officer representing a rural county selected by
  the chair of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs;
               (7)  an officer representing an urban county selected
  by the chair of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans'
  Affairs;
               (8)  an officer representing a rural county selected by
  the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border
  Security; and
               (9)  an officer representing an urban county selected
  by the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border
  Security.
         (d)  The chairs of the House Committee on Defense and
  Veterans' Affairs and Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and
  Border Security serve as co-chairs of the task force.
         (e)  A recommendation of the task force must be approved by a
  majority vote of the members of the task force.
         (f)  Each member of the task force has one vote.
         (g)  The task force shall:
               (1)  examine the role and duties of officers in each
  county;
               (2)  identify the regions of this state that are in need
  of officers; and
               (3)  determine types and levels of support needed from
  this state in order for officers to appropriately advocate for the
  veterans served by the officers.
         (h)  Not later than December 1, 2022, the commission shall
  prepare and submit a report based on recommendations of the task
  force regarding the issues described in Subsection (g) to the
  Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security and House
  Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs. The report must be
  approved by a majority vote of the members of the task force.
         (i)  This section expires January 1, 2023.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.