| 1 | 1 | | By: Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 34 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | (Hernandez Luna) |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment and operation of the Texas Women |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | Veterans Program. |
|---|
| 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. TEXAS WOMEN VETERANS PROGRAM |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 434.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | (2) "Executive director" means the executive director |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | of the commission. |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (3) "Program" means the Texas Women Veterans Program. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (4) "Woman veteran" means a woman who: |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (A) served on active duty in the armed forces of |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | the United States or in the Texas National Guard on federal active |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | duty under Title 10, United States Code; and |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (B) was discharged or released from that service |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | under conditions other than dishonorable. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | Sec. 434.152. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM; PROGRAM MISSION. |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (a) The Texas Women Veterans Program is established in the |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | commission. The program is attached to the office of the executive |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | director for administrative purposes. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (b) The mission of the program is to ensure that the women |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | veterans of this state have equitable access to federal and state |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | veterans benefits and services. |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Sec. 434.153. COORDINATOR. The executive director shall |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | designate a women veterans coordinator for this state. |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Sec. 434.154. GENERAL PROGRAM DUTIES. The program shall: |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (1) provide assistance to the women veterans of this |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | state as provided by this subchapter; |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (2) perform outreach functions to improve the |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | awareness of women veterans of their eligibility for federal and |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | state veterans benefits and services; |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (3) assess the needs of women veterans with respect to |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | benefits and services; |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (4) review programs, research projects, and other |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | initiatives designed to address the needs of the women veterans of |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | this state; |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (5) make recommendations to the executive director |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | regarding the improvement of benefits and services to women |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | veterans; and |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (6) incorporate issues concerning women veterans in |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | commission planning regarding veterans benefits and services. |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | Sec. 434.155. ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC AWARENESS. (a) The |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | program shall advocate for women veterans and work to increase |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | public awareness about the gender-specific needs of women veterans. |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | (b) The program shall recommend legislative initiatives and |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | the development of policies on the local, state, and national |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | levels to address the issues affecting women veterans. |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | Sec. 434.156. COLLABORATION. The program shall collaborate |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | with federal, state, and private agencies that provide services to |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | women veterans. |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | Sec. 434.157. RESEARCH; DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION. |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | (a) The program shall monitor and research issues relating to |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | women veterans. |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | (b) The program shall disseminate information regarding |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | opportunities for women veterans throughout the network of entities |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | with which the program collaborates. |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | Sec. 434.158. EDUCATION. Through conferences, seminars, |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | and training workshops with federal, state, and private agencies, |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | the program shall provide guidance and direction to a woman veteran |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | who is applying for grants, benefits, or services. |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | Sec. 434.159. HONOR AND RECOGNITION. The program shall |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | promote events and activities that recognize and honor the women |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | veterans of this state and women who serve in the military. |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | Sec. 434.160. FACILITIES. To the extent funding is |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | available for that purpose, the program shall provide facilities as |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | appropriate in support of the program. |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | Sec. 434.161. FUNDING. On behalf of the program, the |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | executive director may accept and spend funds: |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | (1) appropriated to the commission for the operation |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | of the program; and |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | (2) received from other sources, including donations |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | and grants. |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
|---|