BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 651 89R4648 JBD-D By: West Veteran Affairs 3/17/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Currently a number of county agencies and departments report directly to the commissioners court. Allowing the veterans county service office to report to a designee instead of the court itself would reduce backlog and inefficiency in large counties with high demand. This bill would amend Section 434.032(a) of the Government Code so that a veterans county service office in a county with a population of 200,000 or more can report to a designee of the commissioners court, not exclusively the commissioners court itself. As proposed, S.B. 651 amends current law relating to the requirement that a veterans county service office report to the commissioners court or a designee of the commissioners court. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 434.032(a), Government Code, to require a veterans county service office to meet certain criteria, including reporting directly to the commissioners court or a designee of the commissioners court. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025. BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 651 89R4648 JBD-D By: West Veteran Affairs 3/17/2025 As Filed Senate Research Center S.B. 651 89R4648 JBD-D By: West Veteran Affairs 3/17/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Currently a number of county agencies and departments report directly to the commissioners court. Allowing the veterans county service office to report to a designee instead of the court itself would reduce backlog and inefficiency in large counties with high demand. This bill would amend Section 434.032(a) of the Government Code so that a veterans county service office in a county with a population of 200,000 or more can report to a designee of the commissioners court, not exclusively the commissioners court itself. As proposed, S.B. 651 amends current law relating to the requirement that a veterans county service office report to the commissioners court or a designee of the commissioners court. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 434.032(a), Government Code, to require a veterans county service office to meet certain criteria, including reporting directly to the commissioners court or a designee of the commissioners court. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.