Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1007 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R4933 MCK-D
2	2	By: Alonzo H.B. No. 1007
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of veterans resource centers at
8	8	certain 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 J to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER J. VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS
13	13	Sec. 434.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
14	14	(1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission.
15	15	(2) "Higher education regions" means the higher
16	16	education regions in this state established by the Texas Higher
17	17	Education Coordinating Board.
18	18	(3) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
19	19	assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
20	20	Sec. 434.452. VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS. The commission
21	21	shall administer a veterans resource center in at least one
22	22	institution of higher education in each region specified in Section
23	23	434.453 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;
32	32	(4) encourage veterans to take advantage of government
33	33	educational programs; and
34	34	(5) assist veterans in applying to public institutions
35	35	of higher education.
36	36	Sec. 434.453. LOCATIONS OF CENTERS. The commission shall
37	37	operate 15 veterans resource centers throughout this state with at
38	38	least one veterans resource center located in each of the following
39	39	higher education regions:
40	40	(1) High Plains Region;
41	41	(2) Northwest Texas Region;
42	42	(3) Metroplex Region;
43	43	(4) Upper East Texas Region;
44	44	(5) Southeast Texas Region;
45	45	(6) Gulf Coast Region;
46	46	(7) Central Texas Region;
47	47	(8) South Texas Region;
48	48	(9) West Texas Region; and
49	49	(10) Upper Rio Grande Region.
50	50	Sec. 434.454. DUTIES OF INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
51	51	Each institution of higher education that has a veterans resource
52	52	center shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the
53	53	commission. The memorandum of understanding must require the
54	54	institution of higher education to provide and bear the cost of the
55	55	following:
56	56	(1) office space on the campus of the institution of
57	57	higher education that is accessible to persons with disabilities
58	58	and complies with any applicable federal and state law; and
59	59	(2) office equipment, telephone equipment and
60	60	service, computer equipment, and Internet access.
61	61	Sec. 434.455. PROGRAM MANAGER. The commission shall employ
62	62	a program manager to administer the veterans resource center
63	63	program. The program manager shall:
64	64	(1) provide leadership, training, support, and
65	65	overall management of the veterans resource center program;
66	66	(2) evaluate the effectiveness of veterans resource
67	67	centers in identifying the services required by veterans to
68	68	optimize the success of veterans and their families in obtaining a
69	69	college education and in providing those services;
70	70	(3) supervise the regional veterans resource
71	71	counselors;
72	72	(4) prepare an annual budget;
73	73	(5) monitor the outcomes of the veterans resource
74	74	center program;
75	75	(6) using data provided by the Texas Higher Education
76	76	Coordinating Board, produce an annual report on veterans'
77	77	attendance at public institutions of higher education;
78	78	(7) apply to private organizations and foundations for
79	79	grant funding or other support that complements the objectives of
80	80	the program; and
81	81	(8) perform any other task required by the commission.
82	82	Sec. 434.456. REGIONAL VETERANS RESOURCE COUNSELORS. (a)
83	83	The commission shall employ a regional veterans resource counselor
84	84	for each higher education region to oversee the veterans resource
85	85	center or centers located in the region.
86	86	(b) A regional veterans resource counselor shall maintain
87	87	an office at a veterans resource center at an institution of higher
88	88	education located in the higher education region served by the
89	89	counselor.
90	90	(c) Each regional veterans resource counselor shall:
91	91	(1) visit each institution of higher education located
92	92	in the higher education region served by the counselor;
93	93	(2) work with those institutions of higher education
94	94	described by Subdivision (1) to:
95	95	(A) create a hospitable and supportive
96	96	environment for veterans;
97	97	(B) enhance awareness of and encourage
98	98	participation in veterans educational programs and in commission
99	99	programs providing other services to veterans, including
100	100	employment and claims assistance services;
101	101	(C) develop programs providing ancillary
102	102	assistance to veterans based on the unique needs of veterans and
103	103	their families;
104	104	(D) ensure that veterans successfully complete
105	105	their education; and
106	106	(E) promote the establishment of a student
107	107	veterans group on each campus in the region;
108	108	(3) work with local, state, and national veterans
109	109	groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American
110	110	Legion, to promote educational opportunities and benefits to the
111	111	veteran population in the higher education region;
112	112	(4) work with local workforce development boards to:
113	113	(A) ensure that veterans counselors are aware of
114	114	available nontraditional educational opportunities, including
115	115	on-the-job training programs and apprenticeships; and
116	116	(B) advise employers in the region of potential
117	117	opportunities to create on-the-job training programs for veterans;
118	118	(5) work with education services officers at military
119	119	installations to encourage active duty members of the armed forces
120	120	of the United States and veterans to use federal and state
121	121	educational benefits;
122	122	(6) create and manage publicity campaigns in concert
123	123	with the commission and institutions of higher education in the
124	124	higher education region to promote the use of education benefits
125	125	under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of
126	126	2008 (38 U.S.C. Section 3301 et seq.), the tuition exemption
127	127	program for veterans and their dependents under Section 54.341,
128	128	Education Code, and any other education benefit for veterans or
129	129	their dependents under federal or state law;
130	130	(7) support programs to assist combat veteran students
131	131	in readjusting and reintegrating into a noncombat environment;
132	132	(8) maintain statistical information regarding
133	133	demographics of veterans assisted, application success, program
134	134	completion rates, dropout rates, and reasons for success or
135	135	failure, as appropriate; and
136	136	(9) perform other activities, as assigned by the
137	137	commission, to enhance the educational opportunities of veterans
138	138	and their family members in the higher education region and
139	139	throughout this state.
140	140	Sec. 434.457. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The commission may
141	141	adopt rules to implement this subchapter.
142	142	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.