| 1 | 1 | | 85R25510 SMT-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Blanco, Guillen H.B. No. 1973 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1973: |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | By: Button C.S.H.B. No. 1973 |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | relating to employment and referral services for veterans and |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | military service members. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Sections 302.0033 and 302.00335 to read as |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | follows: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 302.0033. OPERATION WELCOME HOME PROGRAM. (a) The |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | commission shall establish and administer the Operation Welcome |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Home program to expedite the entry of veterans and military service |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | members into the workforce through the use of enhanced employment |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | services. In establishing the program, the commission shall build |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | partnerships between military transition centers and local |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | workforce development boards to ensure the availability of |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | employment services, including services related to: |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (1) education; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (2) career technical training; and |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (3) entrepreneurship. |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (b) The commission may award grants to state, local, or |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | private entities that perform activities related to the purposes of |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | this section. |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (c) The commission shall administer the program using money |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | previously appropriated to the commission or received from federal |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | or other sources. |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (d) The commission may adopt rules as necessary for the |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | administration of this section. |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | Sec. 302.00335. TEXAS VETERANS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. (a) |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | The commission, in consultation with the Texas Veterans Commission, |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | shall establish a Texas Veterans Leadership Program. |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (b) The mission of the program is to serve as a resource and |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | referral network connecting veterans with the resources and tools |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | they need to lead productive lives and enjoy the full benefits of |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | the society they have willingly served. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (c) The program shall collaborate with local workforce |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | development boards to provide services to veterans under this |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | section. The program may collaborate with other federal, state, |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | county, municipal, and private agencies to provide services to |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | veterans under this section. |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | (d) The program shall employ veterans to serve as veteran |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | resource and referral specialists. A veteran resource and referral |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | specialist shall: |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | (1) seek out veterans in need of services; |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | (2) serve as a resource and referral agent, directing |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | veterans to resources tailored to veterans' needs; |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | (3) make referrals and coordinate with other programs |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | of the commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, and other |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | federal, state, county, municipal, and private agencies that |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | provide services for veterans relating to: |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | (A) employment; |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | (B) education and training; |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | (C) medical care; |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | (D) mental health and counseling; and |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | (E) veterans benefits; and |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | (4) coordinate the services of volunteer veterans |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | familiar with the obstacles faced by veterans to assist in |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | mentoring and serving veterans. |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|---|