By: Lucio S.B. No. 1660
(In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2011; March 23, 2011, read
first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and
Military Installations; April 11, 2011, reported adversely, with
favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays
0; April 11, 2011, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1660 By: Estes
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain unclaimed property of veterans and veterans'
families.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 434.007, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 434.007. DUTIES. The commission shall:
(1) compile federal, state, and local laws enacted to
benefit members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families
and dependents;
(2) collect information relating to services and
facilities available to veterans;
(3) cooperate with veterans service agencies in the
state;
(4) inform members and veterans of the armed forces,
their families and dependents, and military and civilian
authorities about the existence or availability of:
(A) educational training and retraining
facilities;
(B) health, medical, rehabilitation, and housing
services and facilities;
(C) employment and reemployment services;
(D) provisions of federal, state, and local law
affording rights, privileges, and benefits to members and veterans
of the armed forces and their families and dependents; and
(E) other similar, related, or appropriate
matters;
(5) assist veterans and their families and dependents
in presenting, proving, and establishing claims, privileges,
rights, and benefits they may have under federal, state, or local
law;
(6) cooperate with all government and private agencies
securing services or benefits to veterans and their families and
dependents;
(7) investigate, and if possible correct, abuses or
exploitation of veterans or their families or dependents, and
recommend necessary legislation for full correction;
(8) coordinate the services and activities of state
departments and divisions having services and resources affecting
veterans or their families or dependents;
(9) provide training and certification of veterans
county service officers and assistant veterans county service
officers in accordance with Section 434.038; [and]
(10) through surveys or other reasonable and accurate
methods of estimation, collect and maintain for each county in the
state the number of servicemembers and veterans residing in the
county and annually update and publish the information on the
commission's website; and
(11) with the assistance and cooperation of the
comptroller, inform and assist veterans and their families and
dependents with respect to discovering and initiating claims for
unclaimed property held by the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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