Bill Text: TX SB1199 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to development of a pilot program of the Texas Veterans Commission to designate municipalities as Veteran and Military Friendly Cities.
Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-05-19 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB1199 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB1199-Engrossed.html
| By: Van de Putte, Hinojosa | S.B. No. 1199 | |
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| relating to development of a pilot program of the Texas Veterans | ||
| Commission to designate municipalities as Veteran and Military | ||
| Friendly Cities. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 434.022 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 434.022. PILOT PROGRAM TO DESIGNATE VETERAN AND | ||
| MILITARY FRIENDLY CITIES. (a) The commission may develop a pilot | ||
| program to designate qualifying municipalities as Veteran and | ||
| Military Friendly Cities. The commission may establish the | ||
| criteria to qualify for a designation under the pilot program | ||
| developed under this section. | ||
| (b) The criteria established under Subsection (a) must | ||
| include an evaluation of a municipality's ability to provide | ||
| services for veterans and members of the military, taking into | ||
| consideration the availability in the municipality of: | ||
| (1) a local or county veterans service office; | ||
| (2) suitable housing for veterans and members of the | ||
| military; | ||
| (3) financial support for veterans and members of the | ||
| military; | ||
| (4) employment resources for veterans and members of | ||
| the military; | ||
| (5) education and training programs for veterans and | ||
| members of the military; | ||
| (6) a veterans court; and | ||
| (7) access to health care for veterans, including | ||
| mental health services and mental health services peer-to-peer | ||
| networks. | ||
| (c) The commission may accept and review applications for | ||
| the designation and issue tiered designations, as appropriate. | ||
| (d) The commission may by rule establish a procedure for | ||
| discouraging and preventing the misappropriation of the phrase | ||
| "Veteran and Military Friendly City." | ||
| (e) The commission shall report the results of the pilot | ||
| program under this section to the governor, the lieutenant | ||
| governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the | ||
| committees in both houses of the legislature having jurisdiction | ||
| over veterans and military issues not later than December 31, 2014. | ||
| (f) This section expires September 1, 2015. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
