| 1 | 1 | | 89R13863 LRM-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Garcia of Bexar H.B. No. 4458 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | relating to a pilot program to assist service members and veterans |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | in achieving self-reliance after separation from the military. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | adding Subchapter J to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | SUBCHAPTER J. TEXAS VETERANS ACHIEVING SELF-RELIANCE PILOT PROGRAM |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 434.421. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (2) "Pilot program" means the pilot program |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | established under this subchapter. |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (3) "Service member" means a member of: |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (A) an active or reserve component of the United |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | States armed forces; or |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (B) the Texas military forces. |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (4) "Texas military forces" has the meaning assigned |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | by Section 437.001. |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (5) "Veteran" means a former member of: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (A) an active or reserve component of the United |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | States armed forces; or |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (B) the Texas military forces. |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Sec. 434.422. PILOT PROGRAM. The commission by rule shall |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | establish the Texas Veterans Achieving Self-Reliance Pilot Program |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | to provide services intended to help a service member or a veteran |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | achieve self-reliance after separating from the military. The |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | program must assist the following persons: |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (1) service members and veterans who within the last |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | year separated from: |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (A) an active or reserve component of the United |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | States armed forces; or |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (B) the Texas military forces; and |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (2) spouses and dependents of the service members and |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | veterans described by Subdivision (1). |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | Sec. 434.423. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED. The commission |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | shall solicit requests for proposals from veterans service |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | organizations to provide the persons described by Section 434.422 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | with information and education on: |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (1) employment opportunities and related services; |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | (2) housing assistance programs; |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (3) mental health services; |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | (4) career training; and |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | (5) other essential services determined appropriate |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | by the commission. |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | Sec. 434.424. EVALUATION AND CRITERIA. The commission |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | shall evaluate the received proposals and must approve at least one |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | or more veterans service organizations for funding to provide the |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | services described by Section 434.423. The commission may only |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | approve a proposal from an organization that has demonstrated in |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | its proposal: |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | (1) that it has experience working in this state with |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | service members or veterans or both to provide the services |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | described by Section 434.423; and |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | (2) that it has access to military bases and sites at |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | which the organization intends to provide the services described by |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | Section 434.423. |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | Sec. 434.425. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROVIDED SERVICES. The |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | services provided under the pilot program must be provided: |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | (1) only to persons described by Section 434.422; and |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | (2) at no cost to the service member or veteran or to |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | the spouses or dependents of the service member or veteran. |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | Sec. 434.426. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The commission |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | may accept gifts, grants, and donations to fund the pilot program |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | and may collaborate with other public or private entities for |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | additional funding or program expansion. |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | Sec. 434.427. REPORTING. Not later than October 1, 2028, |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | the commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, the |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | and the standing committees of the legislature with primary |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | jurisdiction over veterans affairs a written report that contains: |
|---|
| 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 | | Sec. 434.428. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | September 1, 2029. |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|