86R23955 YDB-F
By: Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 2047
(Miller)
Substitute the following for S.B. No. 2047: No.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to pro bono legal services for veterans and service
members.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 434.017(c), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) Money in the fund may only be appropriated to the Texas
Veterans Commission. Money appropriated under this subsection
shall be used to:
(1) make grants to address veterans' needs;
(2) make grants to provide pro bono legal services to
veterans, active duty members of the United States armed forces,
and members of the state military forces;
(3) administer the fund; and
(4) [(3)] analyze and investigate data received from
the federal Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS)
that is administered by the Administration for Children and
Families of the United States Department of Health and Human
Services.
SECTION 2. Section 434.0171, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 434.0171. STATE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO FUND FOR
VETERANS' ASSISTANCE. For purposes of Subchapter I, Chapter 659:
(1) the Texas Veterans Commission, for the sole
purpose of managing the fund for veterans' assistance, is
considered an eligible charitable organization entitled to
participate in the state employee charitable campaign; and
(2) a state employee is entitled to authorize a
deduction for contributions to the Texas Veterans Commission for
the purposes of managing the fund for veterans' assistance as a
charitable contribution under Section 659.132, and the Texas
Veterans Commission may use the contributions for the purposes
listed in Section 434.017(c)[, as redesignated and amended by
Chapter 1418 (H.B. 3107), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2007].
SECTION 3. Section 434.154(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The council may, by majority vote, establish the
following coordinating workgroups to focus on specific issues
affecting veterans, servicemembers, and their families:
(1) health;
(2) mental health;
(3) employment;
(4) higher education;
(5) criminal justice;
(6) housing;
(7) transportation;
(8) women veterans;
(9) pro bono legal services for veterans, including
opportunities and obstacles for providing those services; and
(10) [(9)] any other coordinating workgroup
considered necessary.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.