Bill Text: TX SB805 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to Texas women veterans.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-09 - Effective on 9/1/17 [SB805 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB805-Enrolled.html
| S.B. No. 805 | ||
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| relating to Texas women veterans. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 434.203, Government Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 434.203. COORDINATOR. (a) The executive director | ||
| shall designate a women veterans coordinator for this state. | ||
| (b) The coordinator or the coordinator's designee shall | ||
| serve as a liaison between state and federal agencies and | ||
| organizations that provide benefits and services to women veterans. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 434.204, Government Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 434.204. GENERAL PROGRAM DUTIES. The program shall: | ||
| (1) provide assistance to the women veterans of this | ||
| state as provided by this subchapter; | ||
| (2) perform outreach functions to improve the | ||
| awareness of women veterans of their eligibility for federal and | ||
| state veterans' benefits and services; | ||
| (3) assess the needs of women veterans with respect to | ||
| benefits and services; | ||
| (4) review programs, research projects, and other | ||
| initiatives designed to address the needs of the women veterans of | ||
| this state; | ||
| (5) make recommendations to the executive director | ||
| regarding the improvement of benefits and services to women | ||
| veterans; [ |
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| (6) incorporate issues concerning women veterans in | ||
| commission planning regarding veterans' benefits and services; and | ||
| (7) in collaboration with appropriate state agencies, | ||
| provide information to women veterans on services and resources | ||
| provided by state or federal agencies and organizations to women | ||
| veterans. | ||
| SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 434, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Sections 434.212, 434.213, and 434.214 to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| Sec. 434.212. WOMEN VETERANS REPORT. Not later than | ||
| November 1 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit | ||
| to the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature a report on | ||
| women veterans in this state. The report may be delivered | ||
| electronically and must: | ||
| (1) estimate the: | ||
| (A) number of women veterans in this state; | ||
| (B) number of women veterans who contact the | ||
| commission for assistance; and | ||
| (C) number of women veterans who receive | ||
| assistance from the commission, the Texas Workforce Commission, the | ||
| Department of State Health Services, and other state agencies; | ||
| (2) identify the unique problems faced by women | ||
| veterans; and | ||
| (3) recommend policy proposals, initiatives, and | ||
| funding levels to address the problems identified in Subdivision | ||
| (2). | ||
| Sec. 434.213. WOMEN VETERANS COMMUNITY OUTREACH CAMPAIGN. | ||
| The women veterans coordinator designated under Section 434.203, in | ||
| consultation with the Governor's Commission for Women, the United | ||
| States Department of Veterans Affairs, and any other appropriate | ||
| agency, shall conduct a community outreach campaign to: | ||
| (1) provide information relating to and increase | ||
| awareness of benefits and services available to women veterans; | ||
| (2) improve access to benefits and services for women | ||
| veterans; | ||
| (3) increase participation of women veterans in | ||
| programs that provide benefits and services; | ||
| (4) provide information on the significant | ||
| contributions of women veterans in this state; and | ||
| (5) provide information relating to and increase | ||
| awareness of support groups and other organizations relating to | ||
| family services, including services for women veterans who are | ||
| single parents. | ||
| Sec. 434.214. APPLICATION FOR STATE AGENCY PROGRAMS, | ||
| SERVICES, OR ASSISTANCE. (a) This section applies to a state | ||
| agency in the executive branch of state government, including a | ||
| health and human services agency, that provides to adult women in | ||
| this state a program, a service, or assistance, including the | ||
| Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the supplemental | ||
| nutrition assistance program, the women's health program, | ||
| Medicaid, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, | ||
| Infants, and Children, and a housing program or service or housing | ||
| assistance. | ||
| (b) A state agency shall include in each application for a | ||
| program, a service, or assistance provided by the agency to adult | ||
| women: | ||
| (1) a space to indicate whether the applicant is a | ||
| veteran; and | ||
| (2) model language informing the applicant that she | ||
| may be entitled to additional services because of her veteran | ||
| status. | ||
| (c) The commission shall develop the model language | ||
| required on an application under Subsection (b)(2). The language | ||
| must include a link to the veterans website established under | ||
| Section 434.102 or, for an online application, a hyperlink to that | ||
| website. | ||
| SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 662, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 662.065 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 662.065. WOMEN VETERANS DAY. (a) June 12 is Women | ||
| Veterans Day to recognize the role of women in the military forces | ||
| and to commemorate the sacrifices of and valor displayed by Texas | ||
| women veterans. | ||
| (b) Women Veterans Day shall be regularly observed by | ||
| appropriate programs and activities. | ||
| SECTION 5. Not later than November 1, 2018, the women | ||
| veterans coordinator shall establish the women veterans community | ||
| outreach campaign as required under Section 434.213, Government | ||
| Code, as added by this Act, and the Texas Veterans Commission shall | ||
| adopt any rules necessary to implement the campaign. | ||
| SECTION 6. (a) Not later than December 1, 2017, the Texas | ||
| Veterans Commission shall develop the model application language | ||
| required by Section 434.214, Government Code, as added by this Act, | ||
| and post that information on the commission's Internet website. | ||
| (b) Not later than March 1, 2018, each state agency subject | ||
| to Section 434.214, Government Code, as added by this Act, shall | ||
| modify the agency's application for programs, services, or | ||
| assistance as necessary to implement that section. | ||
| SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 805 passed the Senate on | ||
| May 2, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; and that the | ||
| Senate concurred in House amendments on May 27, 2017, by the | ||
| following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 805 passed the House, with | ||
| amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 146, | ||
| Nays 0, two present not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| Approved: | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
