By: Zaffirini, Campbell S.B. No. 2104
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Texas Veterans County Service
Officer Task Force.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 434, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 434.040 to read as follows:
Sec. 434.040. TEXAS VETERANS COUNTY SERVICE OFFICER TASK
FORCE. (a) In this section:
(1) "Rural county" means a county with a population of
less than 200,000.
(2) "Task force" means the Texas Veterans County
Service Officer Task Force.
(3) "Urban county" means a county with a population of
200,000 or more.
(b) The Texas Veterans County Service Officer Task Force is
established to study the impact and efficacy of officers in this
state.
(c) The task force is composed of the following nine
members:
(1) the chair of the House Committee on Defense and
Veterans' Affairs;
(2) the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran
Affairs and Border Security;
(3) a representative of the commission;
(4) the chair of the Veterans County Service Officer
Advisory Committee;
(5) a representative of the Texas Coalition of
Veterans Organizations;
(6) an officer representing a rural county selected by
the chair of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs;
(7) an officer representing an urban county selected
by the chair of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans'
Affairs;
(8) an officer representing a rural county selected by
the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border
Security; and
(9) an officer representing an urban county selected
by the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border
Security.
(d) The chairs of the House Committee on Defense and
Veterans' Affairs and Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and
Border Security serve as co-chairs of the task force.
(e) A recommendation of the task force must be approved by a
majority vote of the members of the task force.
(f) Each member of the task force has one vote.
(g) The task force shall:
(1) examine the role and duties of officers in each
county;
(2) identify the regions of this state that are in need
of officers; and
(3) determine types and levels of support needed from
this state in order for officers to appropriately advocate for the
veterans served by the officers.
(h) Not later than December 1, 2020, the commission shall
prepare and submit a report based on recommendations of the task
force regarding the issues described in Subsection (g) to the
Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security and House
Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs. The report must be
approved by a majority vote of the members of the task force.
(i) This section expires January 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.