Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB696 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 696
	1	+	By: Blanco, Guillen H.B. No. 696
	2	+	(Senate Sponsor - Powell)
	3	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2019;
	4	+	April 29, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
	5	+	Veteran Affairs & Border Security; May 17, 2019, reported
	6	+	favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 17, 2019, sent
	7	+	to printer.)
2	8
3	9
	10	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	11		AN ACT
5	12		relating to employment and referral services for veterans and
6	13		military service members.
7	14		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	15		SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is
9	16		amended by adding Sections 302.0033 and 302.00335 to read as
10	17		follows:
11	18		Sec. 302.0033. OPERATION WELCOME HOME PROGRAM. (a) The
12	19		commission shall establish and administer the Operation Welcome
13	20		Home program to expedite the entry of veterans and military service
14	21		members into the workforce through the use of enhanced employment
15	22		services. In establishing the program, the commission shall build
16	23		partnerships between military transition centers and local
17	24		workforce development boards to ensure the availability of
18	25		employment services, including services related to:
19	26		(1) education;
20	27		(2) career technical training; and
21	28		(3) entrepreneurship.
22	29		(b) The commission may award grants to state, local, or
23	30		private entities that perform activities related to the purposes of
24	31		this section.
25	32		(c) The commission shall administer the program using money
26	33		previously appropriated to the commission or received from federal
27	34		or other sources.
28	35		(d) The commission may adopt rules as necessary for the
29	36		administration of this section.
30	37		Sec. 302.00335. TEXAS VETERANS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. (a)
31	38		The commission, in consultation with the Texas Veterans Commission,
32	39		shall establish a Texas Veterans Leadership Program.
33	40		(b) The mission of the program is to serve as a resource and
34	41		referral network connecting veterans with the resources and tools
35	42		they need to lead productive lives and enjoy the full benefits of
36	43		the society they have willingly served.
37	44		(c) The program shall collaborate with local workforce
38	45		development boards to provide services to veterans under this
39	46		section. The program may collaborate with other federal, state,
40	47		county, municipal, and private agencies to provide services to
41	48		veterans under this section.
42	49		(d) The program shall employ veterans to serve as veteran
43	50		resource and referral specialists. A veteran resource and referral
44	51		specialist shall:
45	52		(1) seek out veterans in need of services;
46	53		(2) serve as a resource and referral agent, directing
47	54		veterans to resources tailored to veterans' needs;
48	55		(3) make referrals and coordinate with other programs
49	56		of the commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, and other
50	57		federal, state, county, municipal, and private agencies that
51	58		provide services for veterans relating to:
52	59		(A) employment;
53	60		(B) education and training;
54	61		(C) medical care;
55	62		(D) mental health and counseling; and
56	63		(E) veterans benefits; and
57	64		(4) coordinate the services of volunteer veterans
58	65		familiar with the obstacles faced by veterans to assist in
59	66		mentoring and serving veterans.
60	67		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
61	68		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
62	69		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
63	70		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
64	71		Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
65		-	______________________________ ______________________________
66		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
67		-	I certify that H.B. No. 696 was passed by the House on April
68		-	26, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 4, 2 present, not
69		-	voting.
70		-	______________________________
71		-	Chief Clerk of the House
72		-	I certify that H.B. No. 696 was passed by the Senate on May
73		-	22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
74		-	______________________________
75		-	Secretary of the Senate
76		-	APPROVED: _____________________
77		-	Date
78		-	_____________________
79		-	Governor
	72	+	* * * * *