Bill Text: TX HB1007 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of veterans resource centers at certain institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-04 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB1007 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB1007-Introduced.html
| 85R4933 MCK-D | ||
| By: Alonzo | H.B. No. 1007 | |
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| relating to the establishment of veterans resource centers at | ||
| certain institutions of higher education. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter J to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER J. VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS | ||
| Sec. 434.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. | ||
| (2) "Higher education regions" means the higher | ||
| education regions in this state established by the Texas Higher | ||
| Education Coordinating Board. | ||
| (3) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning | ||
| assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | ||
| Sec. 434.452. VETERANS RESOURCE CENTERS. The commission | ||
| shall administer a veterans resource center in at least one | ||
| institution of higher education in each region specified in Section | ||
| 434.453 to: | ||
| (1) provide a centralized place for veterans to find | ||
| assistance and information while enrolled at an institution of | ||
| higher education; | ||
| (2) deliver innovative, cost-effective programs to | ||
| attract veterans and family members of veterans to attend public | ||
| institutions of higher education; | ||
| (3) enable institutions of higher education to create | ||
| veteran-friendly environments; | ||
| (4) encourage veterans to take advantage of government | ||
| educational programs; and | ||
| (5) assist veterans in applying to public institutions | ||
| of higher education. | ||
| Sec. 434.453. LOCATIONS OF CENTERS. The commission shall | ||
| operate 15 veterans resource centers throughout this state with at | ||
| least one veterans resource center located in each of the following | ||
| higher education regions: | ||
| (1) High Plains Region; | ||
| (2) Northwest Texas Region; | ||
| (3) Metroplex Region; | ||
| (4) Upper East Texas Region; | ||
| (5) Southeast Texas Region; | ||
| (6) Gulf Coast Region; | ||
| (7) Central Texas Region; | ||
| (8) South Texas Region; | ||
| (9) West Texas Region; and | ||
| (10) Upper Rio Grande Region. | ||
| Sec. 434.454. DUTIES OF INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. | ||
| Each institution of higher education that has a veterans resource | ||
| center shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the | ||
| commission. The memorandum of understanding must require the | ||
| institution of higher education to provide and bear the cost of the | ||
| following: | ||
| (1) office space on the campus of the institution of | ||
| higher education that is accessible to persons with disabilities | ||
| and complies with any applicable federal and state law; and | ||
| (2) office equipment, telephone equipment and | ||
| service, computer equipment, and Internet access. | ||
| Sec. 434.455. PROGRAM MANAGER. The commission shall employ | ||
| a program manager to administer the veterans resource center | ||
| program. The program manager shall: | ||
| (1) provide leadership, training, support, and | ||
| overall management of the veterans resource center program; | ||
| (2) evaluate the effectiveness of veterans resource | ||
| centers in identifying the services required by veterans to | ||
| optimize the success of veterans and their families in obtaining a | ||
| college education and in providing those services; | ||
| (3) supervise the regional veterans resource | ||
| counselors; | ||
| (4) prepare an annual budget; | ||
| (5) monitor the outcomes of the veterans resource | ||
| center program; | ||
| (6) using data provided by the Texas Higher Education | ||
| Coordinating Board, produce an annual report on veterans' | ||
| attendance at public institutions of higher education; | ||
| (7) apply to private organizations and foundations for | ||
| grant funding or other support that complements the objectives of | ||
| the program; and | ||
| (8) perform any other task required by the commission. | ||
| Sec. 434.456. REGIONAL VETERANS RESOURCE COUNSELORS. (a) | ||
| The commission shall employ a regional veterans resource counselor | ||
| for each higher education region to oversee the veterans resource | ||
| center or centers located in the region. | ||
| (b) A regional veterans resource counselor shall maintain | ||
| an office at a veterans resource center at an institution of higher | ||
| education located in the higher education region served by the | ||
| counselor. | ||
| (c) Each regional veterans resource counselor shall: | ||
| (1) visit each institution of higher education located | ||
| in the higher education region served by the counselor; | ||
| (2) work with those institutions of higher education | ||
| described by Subdivision (1) to: | ||
| (A) create a hospitable and supportive | ||
| environment for veterans; | ||
| (B) enhance awareness of and encourage | ||
| participation in veterans educational programs and in commission | ||
| programs providing other services to veterans, including | ||
| employment and claims assistance services; | ||
| (C) develop programs providing ancillary | ||
| assistance to veterans based on the unique needs of veterans and | ||
| their families; | ||
| (D) ensure that veterans successfully complete | ||
| their education; and | ||
| (E) promote the establishment of a student | ||
| veterans group on each campus in the region; | ||
| (3) work with local, state, and national veterans | ||
| groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American | ||
| Legion, to promote educational opportunities and benefits to the | ||
| veteran population in the higher education region; | ||
| (4) work with local workforce development boards to: | ||
| (A) ensure that veterans counselors are aware of | ||
| available nontraditional educational opportunities, including | ||
| on-the-job training programs and apprenticeships; and | ||
| (B) advise employers in the region of potential | ||
| opportunities to create on-the-job training programs for veterans; | ||
| (5) work with education services officers at military | ||
| installations to encourage active duty members of the armed forces | ||
| of the United States and veterans to use federal and state | ||
| educational benefits; | ||
| (6) create and manage publicity campaigns in concert | ||
| with the commission and institutions of higher education in the | ||
| higher education region to promote the use of education benefits | ||
| under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of | ||
| 2008 (38 U.S.C. Section 3301 et seq.), the tuition exemption | ||
| program for veterans and their dependents under Section 54.341, | ||
| Education Code, and any other education benefit for veterans or | ||
| their dependents under federal or state law; | ||
| (7) support programs to assist combat veteran students | ||
| in readjusting and reintegrating into a noncombat environment; | ||
| (8) maintain statistical information regarding | ||
| demographics of veterans assisted, application success, program | ||
| completion rates, dropout rates, and reasons for success or | ||
| failure, as appropriate; and | ||
| (9) perform other activities, as assigned by the | ||
| commission, to enhance the educational opportunities of veterans | ||
| and their family members in the higher education region and | ||
| throughout this state. | ||
| Sec. 434.457. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The commission may | ||
| adopt rules to implement this subchapter. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
