| 10 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 11 | 5 | | relating to the creation of a health care advocacy program for |
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| 12 | 6 | | veterans. |
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| 13 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is |
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| 15 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 434.023 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 10 | | Sec. 434.023. HEALTH CARE ADVOCACY PROGRAM FOR VETERANS. |
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| 17 | 11 | | (a) In this section, "veteran" means a person who has served in: |
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| 18 | 12 | | (1) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or marine |
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| 19 | 13 | | corps of the United States; or |
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| 20 | 14 | | (2) the Texas National Guard as defined by Section |
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| 21 | 15 | | 431.001. |
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| 22 | 16 | | (b) The commission by rule shall establish and implement a |
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| 23 | 17 | | health care advocacy program to assist veterans in gaining access |
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| 24 | 18 | | to health care facilities of the United States Department of |
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| 25 | 19 | | Veterans Affairs. |
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| 26 | 20 | | (c) The program shall provide assistance to veterans by: |
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| 27 | 21 | | (1) resolving any access issues raised by veterans in |
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| 28 | 22 | | this state or referred to the commission by the veterans toll-free |
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| 29 | 23 | | hotline operated under Section 161.077, Natural Resources Code; |
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| 30 | 24 | | (2) coordinating with the Veterans Health |
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| 31 | 25 | | Administration of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs |
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| 32 | 26 | | to support the health care advocacy program established under this |
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| 33 | 27 | | section; |
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| 34 | 28 | | (3) coordinating with health care providers in this |
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| 35 | 29 | | state to expand providers' opportunities to treat veterans through |
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| 36 | 30 | | the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; |
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| 37 | 31 | | (4) reviewing and researching programs, projects, and |
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| 38 | 32 | | initiatives designed to address the health care needs of veterans; |
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| 39 | 33 | | (5) evaluating the effectiveness of the efforts of the |
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| 40 | 34 | | commission to improve access to health care services for veterans; |
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| 41 | 35 | | (6) making recommendations to the executive director |
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| 42 | 36 | | of the commission to improve health care services and assistance |
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| 43 | 37 | | for veterans; |
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| 44 | 38 | | (7) incorporating veterans' health care issues into |
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| 45 | 39 | | the commission's strategic plan required under Section 2056.002; |
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| 46 | 40 | | (8) assisting veterans in securing benefits and |
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| 47 | 41 | | services; and |
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| 48 | 42 | | (9) recommending legislative initiatives and policies |
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| 49 | 43 | | at the local, state, and national levels to address issues |
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| 50 | 44 | | affecting health care for veterans. |
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| 51 | 45 | | (d) The executive director of the commission shall appoint a |
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| 52 | 46 | | program coordinator to administer the health care advocacy program. |
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| 53 | 47 | | (e) The commission shall provide facilities as appropriate |
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| 54 | 48 | | to support the program to the extent funding is available for that |
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| 55 | 49 | | purpose. |
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| 56 | 50 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 57 | 51 | | of this Act but not later than January 1, 2016, the Texas Veterans |
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| 58 | 52 | | Commission shall establish the health care advocacy program for |
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| 59 | 53 | | veterans as required under Section 434.023, Government Code, as |
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| 60 | 54 | | added by this Act, and the Texas Veterans Commission shall adopt any |
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| 61 | 55 | | rules necessary to implement the program. |
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| 62 | 56 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 63 | 57 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 64 | 58 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 65 | 59 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 66 | 60 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 67 | | - | * * * * * |
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| 61 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 62 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 63 | + | I certify that H.B. No. 1762 was passed by the House on May 4, |
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| 64 | + | 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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| 65 | + | voting. |
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| 66 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 67 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 68 | + | I certify that H.B. No. 1762 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 69 | + | 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1. |
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| 70 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 71 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 72 | + | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 73 | + | Date |
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| 74 | + | _____________________ |
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| 75 | + | Governor |
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