Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2951 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.B. No. 2951
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the establishment of a service dog pilot program for
6	6	certain veterans.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is
9	9	amended by adding Section 434.029 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 434.029. SERVICE DOG PILOT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN
11	11	VETERANS. (a) In this section:
12	12	(1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission.
13	13	(2) "Pilot program" means the pilot program
14	14	established under this section.
15	15	(3) "Veteran" means an individual who has served in:
16	16	(A) an active or reserve component of the army,
17	17	navy, air force, coast guard, space force, or marine corps of the
18	18	United States; or
19	19	(B) the Texas National Guard, as defined by
20	20	Section 431.001.
21	21	(b) The commission by rule shall establish a pilot program
22	22	for veterans to assist in mitigating the symptoms of military
23	23	service-related post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain
24	24	injury, or military sexual trauma through the provision of a
25	25	service dog.
26	26	(c) The commission shall issue a request for proposals from
27	27	nonprofit corporations to provide trained service dogs and training
28	28	and services to veterans who participate in the pilot program.
29	29	(d) The commission shall approve one or more nonprofit
30	30	corporations to provide services through the pilot program. The
31	31	commission may not approve a nonprofit corporation unless the
32	32	corporation:
33	33	(1) has demonstrated experience working with veterans
34	34	who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic
35	35	brain injury, or military sexual trauma;
36	36	(2) is authorized to conduct business in this state;
37	37	(3) is able to provide follow-up services to a veteran
38	38	who participates in the pilot program and the veteran's service
39	39	dog; and
40	40	(4) adheres to the standards of Assistance Dogs
41	41	International.
42	42	(e) A nonprofit corporation that is approved to provide
43	43	services under the pilot program shall:
44	44	(1) employ professional staff to train dogs to become
45	45	service dogs for veterans participating in the pilot program;
46	46	(2) provide each veteran participating in the pilot
47	47	program a fully trained service dog;
48	48	(3) instruct each veteran participating in the pilot
49	49	program on maintaining the service dog's health and training;
50	50	(4) while a veteran is participating in the pilot
51	51	program, ensure that regular mental health and depression
52	52	assessments are conducted on the veteran; and
53	53	(5) be able to provide a veteran participating in the
54	54	pilot program a new service dog if the veteran's service dog:
55	55	(A) is incompatible with the veteran; or
56	56	(B) dies or is otherwise unable to fulfill the
57	57	dog's duty as a service dog before the fourth anniversary of the
58	58	date the veteran received the service dog under the pilot program.
59	59	(f) All goods and services provided to a veteran as part of
60	60	the pilot program, including a veteran's service dog, must be
61	61	provided at no cost to the veteran.
62	62	(g) A service dog provided by a nonprofit corporation as
63	63	part of the pilot program must:
64	64	(1) complete a training program accredited by
65	65	Assistance Dogs International;
66	66	(2) comply with any requirements of the Americans with
67	67	Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.); and
68	68	(3) be evaluated by a veterinarian to ensure the dog is
69	69	medically fit to serve as a service dog.
70	70	(h) The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations
71	71	to fund the pilot program.
72	72	(i) Not later than October 1, 2026, the commission shall
73	73	prepare and submit a report evaluating the pilot program to the
74	74	governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
75	75	representatives, and appropriate standing committees of the
76	76	legislature. The report must include:
77	77	(1) recommendations for legislative or other action;
78	78	and
79	79	(2) an evaluation of the pilot program's
80	80	effectiveness, including a recommendation on whether the pilot
81	81	program should be continued, expanded, or terminated.
82	82	(j) The pilot program concludes and this section expires
83	83	September 1, 2027.
84	84	SECTION 2. The Texas Veterans Commission shall adopt rules
85	85	to administer the pilot program established under Section 434.029,
86	86	Government Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
87	87	the effective date of this Act.
88	88	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
89	89	______________________________ ______________________________
90	90	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
91	91	I certify that H.B. No. 2951 was passed by the House on May 6,
92	92	2023, by the following vote: Yeas 137, Nays 0, 1 present, not
93	93	voting.
94	94	______________________________
95	95	Chief Clerk of the House
96	96	I certify that H.B. No. 2951 was passed by the Senate on May
97	97	22, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
98	98	______________________________
99	99	Secretary of the Senate
100	100	APPROVED: _____________________
101	101	Date
102	102	_____________________
103	103	Governor