86R22845 JG-D
By: Watson, et al. S.B. No. 607
(Flynn)
Substitute the following for S.B. No. 607: No.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the operations and functions of the Veterans' Land
Board and the sunset review date for and programs administered by
the board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 161.0111, Natural Resources Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 161.0111. SUNSET PROVISION. The Veterans' Land Board
is subject to review under Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas
Sunset Act), but is not abolished under that chapter. The board
shall be reviewed during the period in which state agencies
abolished in 2031 are reviewed [2019] and every 12th year after that
[2019 are reviewed].
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 161, Natural Resources
Code, is amended by adding Section 161.0141 to read as follows:
Sec. 161.0141. SEPARATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES. The board
shall develop and implement policies that clearly separate the
policy-making responsibilities of the board and the management
responsibilities of the executive secretary, assistant executive
secretary, and staff of the board.
SECTION 3. Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, is
amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to
read as follows:
(b) The training program must provide the person with
information regarding:
(1) the law governing board operations [the
legislation that created the board];
(2) the programs, functions, rules, and budget of the
board;
(3) the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking
authority of the board;
(4) the results of the most recent formal audit of the
board;
(5) [(4)] the requirements of:
(A) laws relating to open meetings, public
information, administrative procedure, and disclosure of conflicts
of interest; and
(B) other laws applicable to members of a state
policy-making body in performing their duties; and
(6) [(5)] any applicable ethics policies adopted by
the board or the Texas Ethics Commission.
(d) The commissioner shall create a training manual that
includes the information required by Subsection (b). The
commissioner shall distribute a copy of the training manual
annually to each member of the board. Each member of the board
shall sign and submit to the commissioner a statement acknowledging
that the member has received and reviewed the training manual.
SECTION 4. Section 161.031(a), Natural Resources Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The executive secretary or his or her designee shall
prepare and maintain a written plan to assure implementation of a
program of equal employment opportunity whereby all personnel
transactions are made without regard to race, color, disability
[handicap], sex, religion, age, or national origin. The plan shall
include:
(1) a comprehensive analysis which meets federal and
state guidelines of all the agency's work force by race, sex, ethnic
origin, class of position, and salary or wages;
(2) plans for recruitment, evaluation, selection,
appointment, training, promotion, and other personnel policies;
(3) procedures by which a determination can be made of
significant underutilization in the agency work force of all
persons for whom federal and state guidelines encourage a more
equitable balance and steps reasonably designed to overcome any
identified underutilization; and
(4) objectives and goals, with appropriate timetables
for the achievement of the objectives and goals, assignments of
responsibility for their achievement, and an appropriate program
for reviewing and maintaining these goals and objectives once
achieved.
SECTION 5. Section 161.501, Natural Resources Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 161.501. PURPOSE OF SUBCHAPTER; CONSTRUCTION. The
purpose of this subchapter is to authorize the board to provide
loans to veterans and certain members of the Texas State Guard for
the purchase of land that are secured by a mortgage, deed of trust,
or other lien on the land. This subchapter shall be liberally
construed to effect that purpose.
SECTION 6. Section 161.502(2), Natural Resources Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(2) "Loan" means a [veterans'] land loan made or
acquired by the board under this subchapter secured by a mortgage,
deed of trust, or other lien on the land purchased with the proceeds
of the loan.
SECTION 7. Section 161.504, Natural Resources Code, is
amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to
read as follows:
(a) To qualify for a loan under this subchapter, a person
must be:
(1) a veteran at the time the person applies for the
loan; or
(2) a member of the Texas State Guard who, at the time
the person applies for the loan:
(A) has completed at least 10 years of service as
a member of the Texas State Guard; and
(B) is not considered to have been dishonorably
discharged from the Texas State Guard.
(a-1) If an eligible veteran dies after filing an
application for a loan, the veteran's surviving spouse may complete
the transaction.
SECTION 8. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
section, Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, as amended by
this Act, applies to a member of the Veterans' Land Board appointed
before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
(b) A member of the Veterans' Land Board who, before the
effective date of this Act, completed the training program required
by Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, as that law existed
before the effective date of this Act, is required to complete
additional training only on subjects added by this Act to the
training program as required by Section 161.023, Natural Resources
Code, as amended by this Act. A board member described by this
subsection may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in
attendance at a meeting of the board held on or after December 1,
2019, until the member completes the additional training.
SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.