Bill Text: TX HB2951 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a service dog pilot program for certain veterans.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-11 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB2951 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB2951-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 2951 | ||
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| relating to the establishment of a service dog pilot program for | ||
| certain veterans. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 434.029 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 434.029. SERVICE DOG PILOT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN | ||
| VETERANS. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. | ||
| (2) "Pilot program" means the pilot program | ||
| established under this section. | ||
| (3) "Veteran" means an individual who has served in: | ||
| (A) an active or reserve component of the army, | ||
| navy, air force, coast guard, space force, or marine corps of the | ||
| United States; or | ||
| (B) the Texas National Guard, as defined by | ||
| Section 431.001. | ||
| (b) The commission by rule shall establish a pilot program | ||
| for veterans to assist in mitigating the symptoms of military | ||
| service-related post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain | ||
| injury, or military sexual trauma through the provision of a | ||
| service dog. | ||
| (c) The commission shall issue a request for proposals from | ||
| nonprofit corporations to provide trained service dogs and training | ||
| and services to veterans who participate in the pilot program. | ||
| (d) The commission shall approve one or more nonprofit | ||
| corporations to provide services through the pilot program. The | ||
| commission may not approve a nonprofit corporation unless the | ||
| corporation: | ||
| (1) has demonstrated experience working with veterans | ||
| who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic | ||
| brain injury, or military sexual trauma; | ||
| (2) is authorized to conduct business in this state; | ||
| (3) is able to provide follow-up services to a veteran | ||
| who participates in the pilot program and the veteran's service | ||
| dog; and | ||
| (4) adheres to the standards of Assistance Dogs | ||
| International. | ||
| (e) A nonprofit corporation that is approved to provide | ||
| services under the pilot program shall: | ||
| (1) employ professional staff to train dogs to become | ||
| service dogs for veterans participating in the pilot program; | ||
| (2) provide each veteran participating in the pilot | ||
| program a fully trained service dog; | ||
| (3) instruct each veteran participating in the pilot | ||
| program on maintaining the service dog's health and training; | ||
| (4) while a veteran is participating in the pilot | ||
| program, ensure that regular mental health and depression | ||
| assessments are conducted on the veteran; and | ||
| (5) be able to provide a veteran participating in the | ||
| pilot program a new service dog if the veteran's service dog: | ||
| (A) is incompatible with the veteran; or | ||
| (B) dies or is otherwise unable to fulfill the | ||
| dog's duty as a service dog before the fourth anniversary of the | ||
| date the veteran received the service dog under the pilot program. | ||
| (f) All goods and services provided to a veteran as part of | ||
| the pilot program, including a veteran's service dog, must be | ||
| provided at no cost to the veteran. | ||
| (g) A service dog provided by a nonprofit corporation as | ||
| part of the pilot program must: | ||
| (1) complete a training program accredited by | ||
| Assistance Dogs International; | ||
| (2) comply with any requirements of the Americans with | ||
| Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.); and | ||
| (3) be evaluated by a veterinarian to ensure the dog is | ||
| medically fit to serve as a service dog. | ||
| (h) The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations | ||
| to fund the pilot program. | ||
| (i) Not later than October 1, 2026, the commission shall | ||
| prepare and submit a report evaluating the pilot program to the | ||
| governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of | ||
| representatives, and appropriate standing committees of the | ||
| legislature. The report must include: | ||
| (1) recommendations for legislative or other action; | ||
| and | ||
| (2) an evaluation of the pilot program's | ||
| effectiveness, including a recommendation on whether the pilot | ||
| program should be continued, expanded, or terminated. | ||
| (j) The pilot program concludes and this section expires | ||
| September 1, 2027. | ||
| SECTION 2. The Texas Veterans Commission shall adopt rules | ||
| to administer the pilot program established under Section 434.029, | ||
| Government Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after | ||
| the effective date of this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 2951 was passed by the House on May 6, | ||
| 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 137, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 2951 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 22, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
