Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB607 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 607
	1	+	86R22845 JG-D
	2	+	By: Watson, et al. S.B. No. 607
	3	+	(Flynn)
	4	+	Substitute the following for S.B. No. 607: No.
2	5
3	6
	7	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	8		AN ACT
5	9		relating to the operations and functions of the Veterans' Land
6	10		Board and the sunset review date for and programs administered by
7	11		the board.
8	12		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	13		SECTION 1. Section 161.0111, Natural Resources Code, is
10	14		amended to read as follows:
11	15		Sec. 161.0111. SUNSET PROVISION. The Veterans' Land Board
12	16		is subject to review under Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas
13	17		Sunset Act), but is not abolished under that chapter. The board
14	18		shall be reviewed during the period in which state agencies
15	19		abolished in 2031 are reviewed [2019] and every 12th year after that
16	20		[2019 are reviewed].
17	21		SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 161, Natural Resources
18	22		Code, is amended by adding Section 161.0141 to read as follows:
19	23		Sec. 161.0141. SEPARATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES. The board
20	24		shall develop and implement policies that clearly separate the
21	25		policy-making responsibilities of the board and the management
22	26		responsibilities of the executive secretary, assistant executive
23	27		secretary, and staff of the board.
24	28		SECTION 3. Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, is
25	29		amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to
26	30		read as follows:
27	31		(b) The training program must provide the person with
28	32		information regarding:
29	33		(1) the law governing board operations [the
30	34		legislation that created the board];
31	35		(2) the programs, functions, rules, and budget of the
32	36		board;
33	37		(3) the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking
34	38		authority of the board;
35	39		(4) the results of the most recent formal audit of the
36	40		board;
37	41		(5) [(4)] the requirements of:
38	42		(A) laws relating to open meetings, public
39	43		information, administrative procedure, and disclosure of conflicts
40	44		of interest; and
41	45		(B) other laws applicable to members of a state
42	46		policy-making body in performing their duties; and
43	47		(6) [(5)] any applicable ethics policies adopted by
44	48		the board or the Texas Ethics Commission.
45	49		(d) The commissioner shall create a training manual that
46	50		includes the information required by Subsection (b). The
47	51		commissioner shall distribute a copy of the training manual
48	52		annually to each member of the board. Each member of the board
49	53		shall sign and submit to the commissioner a statement acknowledging
50	54		that the member has received and reviewed the training manual.
51	55		SECTION 4. Section 161.031(a), Natural Resources Code, is
52	56		amended to read as follows:
53	57		(a) The executive secretary or his or her designee shall
54	58		prepare and maintain a written plan to assure implementation of a
55	59		program of equal employment opportunity whereby all personnel
56	60		transactions are made without regard to race, color, disability
57	61		[handicap], sex, religion, age, or national origin. The plan shall
58	62		include:
59	63		(1) a comprehensive analysis which meets federal and
60	64		state guidelines of all the agency's work force by race, sex, ethnic
61	65		origin, class of position, and salary or wages;
62	66		(2) plans for recruitment, evaluation, selection,
63	67		appointment, training, promotion, and other personnel policies;
64	68		(3) procedures by which a determination can be made of
65	69		significant underutilization in the agency work force of all
66	70		persons for whom federal and state guidelines encourage a more
67	71		equitable balance and steps reasonably designed to overcome any
68	72		identified underutilization; and
69	73		(4) objectives and goals, with appropriate timetables
70	74		for the achievement of the objectives and goals, assignments of
71	75		responsibility for their achievement, and an appropriate program
72	76		for reviewing and maintaining these goals and objectives once
73	77		achieved.
74		-	SECTION 5. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
75		-	this section, Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, as amended
76		-	by this Act, applies to a member of the Veterans' Land Board
77		-	appointed before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
	78	+	SECTION 5. Section 161.501, Natural Resources Code, is
	79	+	amended to read as follows:
	80	+	Sec. 161.501. PURPOSE OF SUBCHAPTER; CONSTRUCTION. The
	81	+	purpose of this subchapter is to authorize the board to provide
	82	+	loans to veterans and certain members of the Texas State Guard for
	83	+	the purchase of land that are secured by a mortgage, deed of trust,
	84	+	or other lien on the land. This subchapter shall be liberally
	85	+	construed to effect that purpose.
	86	+	SECTION 6. Section 161.502(2), Natural Resources Code, is
	87	+	amended to read as follows:
	88	+	(2) "Loan" means a [veterans'] land loan made or
	89	+	acquired by the board under this subchapter secured by a mortgage,
	90	+	deed of trust, or other lien on the land purchased with the proceeds
	91	+	of the loan.
	92	+	SECTION 7. Section 161.504, Natural Resources Code, is
	93	+	amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to
	94	+	read as follows:
	95	+	(a) To qualify for a loan under this subchapter, a person
	96	+	must be:
	97	+	(1) a veteran at the time the person applies for the
	98	+	loan; or
	99	+	(2) a member of the Texas State Guard who, at the time
	100	+	the person applies for the loan:
	101	+	(A) has completed at least 10 years of service as
	102	+	a member of the Texas State Guard; and
	103	+	(B) is not considered to have been dishonorably
	104	+	discharged from the Texas State Guard.
	105	+	(a-1) If an eligible veteran dies after filing an
	106	+	application for a loan, the veteran's surviving spouse may complete
	107	+	the transaction.
	108	+	SECTION 8. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
	109	+	section, Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, as amended by
	110	+	this Act, applies to a member of the Veterans' Land Board appointed
	111	+	before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
78	112		(b) A member of the Veterans' Land Board who, before the
79	113		effective date of this Act, completed the training program required
80	114		by Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, as that law existed
81	115		before the effective date of this Act, is required to complete
82	116		additional training only on subjects added by this Act to the
83	117		training program as required by Section 161.023, Natural Resources
84	118		Code, as amended by this Act. A board member described by this
85	119		subsection may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in
86	120		attendance at a meeting of the board held on or after December 1,
87	121		2019, until the member completes the additional training.
88		-	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
89		-	______________________________ ______________________________
90		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
91		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 607 passed the Senate on
92		-	March 20, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
93		-	the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 21, 2019, by the
94		-	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
95		-	______________________________
96		-	Secretary of the Senate
97		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 607 passed the House, with
98		-	amendments, on April 29, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 142,
99		-	Nays 1, two present not voting.
100		-	______________________________
101		-	Chief Clerk of the House
102		-	Approved:
103		-	______________________________
104		-	Date
105		-	______________________________
106		-	Governor
	122	+	SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.