Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB4121 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R9084 MCK-D
2	2	By: Alonzo H.B. No. 4121
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to establishing veterans resource centers at certain
8	8	institutions of higher education.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subchapter D to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER D. VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS
13	13	Sec. 434.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
14	14	(1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission.
15	15	(2) "Education regions" means the education regions in
16	16	this state established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
17	17	Board.
18	18	(3) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
19	19	assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
20	20	Sec. 434.152. VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS. The commission
21	21	shall administer a veterans resource center at at least one
22	22	institution of higher education in each region specified in Section
23	23	434.153 to:
24	24	(1) provide a centralized place for veterans to find
25	25	assistance and information while enrolled at an institution of
26	26	higher education;
27	27	(2) deliver innovative, cost-effective programs to
28	28	attract veterans and family members of veterans to attend public
29	29	institutions of higher education;
30	30	(3) enable institutions of higher education to create
31	31	veteran-friendly environments; and
32	32	(4) encourage veterans to take advantage of government
33	33	educational programs.
34	34	Sec. 434.153. LOCATIONS OF CENTERS. The commission shall
35	35	operate 15 veterans resource centers throughout the state with at
36	36	least one veterans resource center located in each of the following
37	37	higher education regions:
38	38	(1) High Plains Region;
39	39	(2) Northwest Texas Region;
40	40	(3) Metroplex Region;
41	41	(4) Upper East Texas Region;
42	42	(5) Southeast Texas Region;
43	43	(6) Gulf Coast Region;
44	44	(7) Central Texas Region;
45	45	(8) South Texas Region;
46	46	(9) West Texas Region; and
47	47	(10) Upper Rio Grande Region.
48	48	Sec. 434.154. DUTIES OF INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
49	49	Each institution of higher education that has a veterans resource
50	50	center shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the
51	51	commission. The memorandum of understanding must require the
52	52	institution of higher education to provide and bear the cost of the
53	53	following:
54	54	(1) office space on the campus of the institution of
55	55	higher education that is accessible to disabled persons and
56	56	complies with any applicable federal and state law; and
57	57	(2) office equipment, telephone equipment and
58	58	service, computer equipment, and Internet access.
59	59	Sec. 434.155. PROGRAM MANAGER. The commission shall employ
60	60	a program manager to administer the veterans resource center
61	61	program. The program manager shall:
62	62	(1) provide leadership, training, support, and
63	63	overall management of the veterans resource center program;
64	64	(2) evaluate the effectiveness of veterans resource
65	65	centers in identifying the services required by veterans to
66	66	optimize the success of veterans and their families in obtaining a
67	67	college education and in providing those services;
68	68	(3) supervise the regional veterans resource
69	69	counselors;
70	70	(4) prepare an annual budget;
71	71	(5) monitor the outcomes of the veterans resource
72	72	center program; and
73	73	(6) perform any other task as required by the
74	74	commission.
75	75	Sec. 434.156. REGIONAL VETERANS RESOURCE COUNSELORS. (a)
76	76	The commission shall employ a regional veterans resource counselor
77	77	for each education region to oversee the veterans resource center
78	78	or centers located in the region.
79	79	(b) A regional veterans resource counselor shall maintain
80	80	an office at a veterans resource center at an institution of higher
81	81	education located in the region served by the veterans resource
82	82	counselor.
83	83	(c) Each regional veterans resource counselor shall:
84	84	(1) visit the institutions of higher education located
85	85	in the education region served by the veterans resource counselor;
86	86	(2) work with those institutions of higher education
87	87	to:
88	88	(A) create a hospitable and supportive
89	89	environment for veterans;
90	90	(B) enhance awareness of and encourage
91	91	participation in veterans educational programs and commission
92	92	programs providing other services to veterans, including
93	93	employment and claims assistance services;
94	94	(C) develop programs providing ancillary
95	95	assistance to veterans based on the unique needs of veterans and
96	96	their families; and
97	97	(D) ensure that veterans successfully complete
98	98	their education;
99	99	(3) work with local, state, and national veterans
100	100	groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American
101	101	Legion, to promote educational opportunities and benefits to the
102	102	veteran population in the education region;
103	103	(4) work with local workforce development boards to:
104	104	(A) ensure that veterans counselors are aware of
105	105	available nontraditional educational opportunities, including
106	106	on-the-job training programs and apprenticeships; and
107	107	(B) advise employers in the region of potential
108	108	opportunities to create on-the-job training programs for veterans;
109	109	(5) work with education services officers at military
110	110	installations to encourage active duty members of the armed forces
111	111	of the United States and veterans to use federal and state
112	112	educational benefits;
113	113	(6) create and manage publicity campaigns in concert
114	114	with the commission and institutions of higher education in the
115	115	education region;
116	116	(7) support programs to assist combat veteran students
117	117	in readjusting and reintegrating into a noncombat environment;
118	118	(8) maintain statistical information regarding
119	119	demographics of veterans assisted, application success, program
120	120	completion rates, drop-out rates, and reasons for success or
121	121	failure, as appropriate; and
122	122	(9) perform other activities, as assigned by the
123	123	commission, to enhance the educational opportunities of veterans
124	124	and their family members in the education region and throughout the
125	125	state.
126	126	Sec. 434.157. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The commission may
127	127	adopt rules to implement this subchapter.
128	128	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.