Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1463 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Lucio S.B. No. 1463
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to the provision of information regarding health care and
7	7	other benefits for veterans and their family members.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is
10	10	amended by adding Section 434.019 to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 434.019. INFORMATION ABOUT VETERANS BENEFITS. The
12	12	Texas Veterans Commission shall, to the extent possible:
13	13	(1) attend each transition assistance program
14	14	conducted by the United States Department of Defense in the state;
15	15	and
16	16	(2) at each transition assistance program:
17	17	(A) distribute the application for health
18	18	benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and
19	19	(B) answer questions regarding health care and
20	20	other benefits available to veterans of the United States armed
21	21	forces.
22	22	SECTION 2. The heading to Section 531.093, Government Code,
23	23	is amended to read as follows:
24	24	Sec. 531.093. SERVICES FOR SERVICEMEMBERS AND FAMILY OF
25	25	SERVICEMEMBERS [MILITARY PERSONNEL].
26	26	SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 531.093, Government
27	27	Code, is amended to read as follows:
28	28	(b) The executive commissioner shall ensure that each
29	29	health and human services agency adopts policies and procedures
30	30	that require the agency to:
31	31	(1) identify the following individuals
32	32	[servicemembers] who are seeking services from the agency during
33	33	the agency's intake and eligibility determination process:
34	34	(A) servicemembers;
35	35	(B) spouses of servicemembers;
36	36	(C) spouses of deceased servicemembers; and
37	37	(D) dependents of deceased servicemembers; and
38	38	(2) direct the individuals identified under
39	39	Subdivision (1) [servicemembers seeking services] to appropriate
40	40	service providers, including the United States Veterans Health
41	41	Administration, National Guard Bureau facilities, and other
42	42	federal, state, and local service providers.
43	43	SECTION 4. Subchapter U, Chapter 161, Health and Safety
44	44	Code, is amended by adding Section 161.553 to read as follows:
45	45	Sec. 161.553. VETERANS HEALTH CARE BENEFITS. (a) The
46	46	department and commission shall ensure that each individual who
47	47	calls the Texas Information and Referral Network is informed that
48	48	individuals who are servicemembers, spouses of servicemembers,
49	49	spouses of deceased servicemembers, or dependents of deceased
50	50	servicemembers may be entitled to medical and other benefits from
51	51	the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the National
52	52	Guard Bureau, and other federal, state, and local service
53	53	providers.
54	54	(b) The Texas Information and Referral Network shall
55	55	provide the name and contact information of each entity that
56	56	provides benefits to which an individual described by Subsection
57	57	(a) may be entitled.
58	58	(c) The Texas Veterans Commission shall cooperate with the
59	59	department and commission in preparing and maintaining the
60	60	information relating to referrals that is provided through the
61	61	Texas Information and Referral Network, as provided by this
62	62	section.
63	63	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
64	64	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
65	65	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
66	66	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
67	67	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.