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SUMMARY OF MILITARY AND VETERAN LEGISLATION PASSED BY THE 83RD LEGISLATURE The 83rd Legislature passed some important bills for the military
community this year. Among notable successes were recognition of disabled
veteran owned businesses as "Historically Underutilized
Businesses", which will give them a priority status along with other
HUB's to be able to bid for state contracts. This has been recognized
federally for many years and was a culmination of over six years of effort
by MOAA and TCVO. In addition, a bill was passed to give 100% ad valorem
tax exemption for surviving spouses of service members who died while on
active service or who were KIA. A new law was passed expanding the
definition of what service dogs were and how they were to be accepted in
public facilities while working with their veterans. Attempts to reduce
the benefit of the Hazelwood act for veterans and their dependents were
defeated through a heavy lobbying effort, in particular by student
veterans. In addition, administration of Hazelwood was moved from the
Higher Education group to the Texas Veterans Commission. The bill amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue specialty license plates for recipients of
the Defense Superior Service Medal and amends Transportation Code, Section
504.3015, to require one set of the new specialty license plate to be
issued without payment of the vehicle registration fee. The bill requires the display of flags at half-staff at the Capitol
building to honor service members killed in action.
The bill amends Chapter 2161 of the Government Code to add disabled
veterans who have suffered at least a 20 percent service-connected
disability to the definition of an "economically disadvantaged
person" for the purpose of identifying a historically underutilized
business (HUB). The bill would also require the categorization of HUBs
included in a report under Subchapter C of Chapter 2161 to include
businesses owned or owned, operated and controlled by disabled veterans. The bill amends the Election Code to allow a person to apply for a
ballot with a single federal postcard application for one or more
elections in which the person is eligible to vote. The bill would require
the early voting clerk who does not conduct early voting to forward a copy
of the application in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State (SOS) to
each early voting clerk who conducts early voting in general or special
elections. The bill creates a medal for certain members of the state military
forces who served during the Cold War.
House Bill 485 House Author: S. Davis, et al. The bill reduces the fees paid by certain peace officers, correctional
officers, members of the state military forces, and veterans of the armed
forces for a license to carry a concealed handgun and to the issuance of
such a license to certain peace officers and members of the state military
forces. The bill relates to rights and responsibilities of persons with
disabilities, including with respect to the use of service animals that
provide assistance to those persons. It includes seizure disorder and PTSD
as reasons for a service animal. House Bill 525 House Author:
Aycock, et al. The bill requires the collection of data each year from school
districts and open enrollment charter schools through the Public Education
Information Management System (PEIMS) relating to the enrollment of
military-connected students. The data relating to the enrollment of
military-connected students under this section House Bill 633 House Author:
Farias, et al.
The bill requires the verification of an inmate's veteran status by the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice by using the PARIS system. This bill
also requires the agency to use the data to assist veterans in applying
for federal benefits. House Bill 694
House Author: Phillips The bill allows access to juvenile justice system records by military
personnel (including recruiters), with the written permission of the
individual. The bill relates to applying overpayments for ad valorem taxes to fees
or outstanding tax property tax bills.
The bill adds the Texas Veterans Commission to the Housing and Health
Services Coordination Council. The bill amends the Family Code to provide that a county clerk may not
issue a marriage license if both applicants are absent unless an affidavit
is provided that declares that the absent applicant is a member of the
armed forces stationed in another country in support of combat or another
military operation The bill amends Section 372.053 (a), Transportation Code, to require a
toll project entity to offer free or reduced tolls to vehicles registered
with "Legion of Valor" military specialty license plates House Bill 1129 House Author: White, et al. The bill requires the secretary of State to select certain counties to
participate in the e-mail ballot program and operate the program as a
pilot program until its expiration on September 1, 2015. The bill would
require the Secretary of State to file a report with the legislature no
later than January 1, 2015, which may include recommendations related to
the program. The bill amends Section 11.43 of the Tax Code, regarding property
taxation, taxable property and exemptions, to exempt a resident of a
facility that provides services related to health, infirmity, or aging, or
is certified for participation in the address confidentiality program
administered by the Attorney General under Subchapter C of Chapter 56 of
the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill relates to the taxation of certain tangible personal property
located inside a defense base development authority.The site is in Bexar
County, the City of San Antonio, with 91 percent in the South San Antonio
school district, and 9 percent in the Edgewood school district (except for
certain inventory which is 100 percent in Edgewood school district). The
applicable projected tax rates were applied to estimate the levy loss to
the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, and to estimate the initial
school district loss. The bill adds a municipality with a population greater than 65,000 and
less than 90,000 that is located in a county in which part but not all of
a military installation is located to the list of municipalities for
donation of surplus real property under Section 253.013a. House Bill 1514 House Author: Howard The bill amends Chapter 681 of the Transportation Code to include
vehicles registered with World War II Veteran specialty license plates to
the list of registered vehicles currently exempt from payment of parking
fees collected through parking meters charged by a governmental authority
other than a branch of the federal government, when being operated by or
for the transportation of persons who registered the vehicle
The bill changes the award for the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to
one person for service in the state or federal military forces during the
period beginning after 1835 but before 1956; and one person for service in
the state or federal military forces after 1955. The bill amends the Transportation Code to authorize an eligible person
to register one vehicle with a set of specialty license plates issued by
the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for surviving spouses of disabled
veterans without payment of any fee other than the fee for the specialty
plate. There is no fee under current law for the "Surviving Spouse
Disabled Veteran" specialty license plate, but applicants for the
specialty plate must pay the vehicle registration fee. The bill authorizes the Comptroller of Public Accounts to contract with
a vendor to provide shipping coordination services to all state agencies
and would be required to pay the vendor from anticipated savings realized
under the contract. In contracting for the oversight of shipping logistics
and coordination services under this section, the comptroller may provide
contracting opportunities for vendors that employ veterans or other
persons with disabilities whose products and services are available under
Chapter 122, Human Resources Code House Bill 1960 House Author: Cortez, et al. The bill amends the Health and Safety Code as it relates to reciprocity
for emergency medical services personnel certification for certain United
States military personnel. Under the provisions of the bill, the bill
would clarify the requirements of a member of the military to be eligible
for reciprocity emergency medical services personnel certification. The bill amends the Occupations Code relating to the eligibility
requirements for plumbing licenses issued to applicants with military
experience and the issuance of those licenses.
The bill amends the Occupations Code relating to the eligibility
requirements for electrician licenses issued to applicants with military
experience and the issuance of those licenses. The bill amends Chapter 1702 of the Occupations Code relating to
waivers and grants of credit for the requirements to obtain certain
private security licenses to individuals with acceptable experience gained
during service in the United States armed forces The bill requires state agencies to apply relevant military expertise
towards apprenticeship requirements for occupational licenses. House Bill 2388 House Author: Menendez The bill adds additional qualifying projects to contracting laws to a
defense base development authority The bill amends the Health and Safety Code as it relates to the mental
health program for veterans. Under the provisions of the bill, the
Department of State Health Services (DSHS) would be required to expand the
agency's existing mental health intervention program for veterans to
include specialized training for peer-to-peer counselors, veteran jail
diversion services, and grants to regional and local organizations
providing these services. The bill amends Section 504.315, Transportation Code, to require the
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue specialty license plates for
recipients of the Air Medal and Air Medal with Valor. The bill would amend
the Transportation Code to include vehicles registered with the new
Defense Superior Service Medal plates to the list of registered vehicles
currently exempt from payment of parking fees collected through parking
meters charged by a governmental authority. The bill requires an annual report on expanding the use of the Public
Assistance Reporting Information System prepared by the Texas Veterans
Commission.
The bill amends Section 25.025, of the Tax Code, related to property
taxation and the confidentiality of certain home address information, to
add a current or former member of the United States armed forces who has
served in an area that the president designates as an area in which armed
forces of the United States are or have engaged in combat to the list of
persons whose home address in the appraisal records is confidential. The bill authorizes the DMV to credit a person for any time remaining
on a multi-year vehicle registration when the person sells or trades the
registered vehicle to a dealer. The bill would increase fines and
penalties for offenses under the Transportation Code Chapter 621, relating
to vehicle size and weight, and Chapter 623, relating to permitting of
certain vehicles. The bill amends the Family Code to require all income, including
veterans' service-related disability benefits, in determining the amount
of child support obligations. This bill authorizes the release of information from a person who
possesses unclaimed cremated remains may release to the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs or a veterans' service organization
verification information associated with the remains to verify whether the
remains are the remains of a person who was a veteran or a veteran's
dependent eligible to be interred in a veterans cemetery. The bills adds an area inside the boundaries of a defense base
development authority established under Chapter 379B, Local Government
Code to the qualifications of a base defense authority enterprise zone. The bill removes some restricting factors on administrative authority
for a defense economic readjustment zone. The bill amends the Occupations Code relating to the licensing and
regulation of military physicians who provide voluntary charity health
care. The bill allows for an expedited occupational license procedure for
military spouses. The bill amends the Government Code and the Transportation Code to
require the Department of Public Safety to create a "veteran"
designation to be placed upon request of the veteran on the veteran's
Concealed Handgun License and personal identification certificate. The bill amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue specialty license plates for graduates of
the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the United States Coast
Guard Academy. Senate Bill: 229 Senate Author: Davis, et al. The bill amends the Transportation Code to authorize the Department of
Public Safety to issue a commercial driver's license to a nonresident
serving in the U.S. armed forces, including the National Guard or reserve
or auxiliary units, whose temporary or permanent duty station is located
in this state. The bill amends the Occupations Code allowing military experience to
count towards the eligibility requirements for certain occupational
licenses.
The bill requires a school district to excuse for a maximum of five
days the absence of a student whose active duty military parent,
stepparent, or guardian has been called for duty, is on leave from, or has
immediately returned from continuous deployment of at least four months
outside of the area in which they regularly reside. These excused absences
must be taken within 60 days of the date of deployment or within 30 days
after the return of the parent, stepparent, or legal guardian. The bill amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to grant limited state
law enforcement authority to police officers with the Office of Security
and Law Enforcement of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
The bill amends Chapters 401 and 402 of the Occupations Code, related
to the regulation of speech-language pathology and audiology and the
fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments. The bill would impact the
State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and
the State Committee of Examiners in the Fitting and Dispensing of Health
Instruments Committee, both licensing boards that are administratively
attached to the Department of State Health Services. The bill creates a new General Revenue-Dedicated Specialty Court
Account would be created to receive specialty court fees that were
previously collected for various drug court programs and deposited into
the General Revenue Fund. The bill would deposit the existing revenues
into a newly created General Revenue-Dedicated Account for Specialty
Courts to fund all of the specialty court programs under Subtitle K. The bill amends the Transportation Code to authorize a disabled
veterans license plate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles upon
request to include one emblem of a veteran's branch of service or one
emblem from another license plate to which the person is entitled under
Sections 504.308, 504.315, or 504.316 of the Transportation Code.
The bill amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of
Motor Vehicles to issue specialty license plates for recipients of the
Defense Superior Service Medal. The bill would amend Transportation Code,
Section 504.3015, to require one set of the new specialty license plate to
be issued without payment of the vehicle registration fee. The bill amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of
Motor Vehicles to issue specialty license plates for persons who served in
Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Senate Bill: 846 Senate Author: Van de Putte, Rodriguez The bill amends the Government Code to require the Texas Veterans
Commission to coordinate with the Department of State Health Services to
incorporate suicide prevention as a component in training and examination
material provided to local county service officers. The bill amends the Election Code to require the Secretary of State to
create optional guidelines to be used by early voting clerks in processing
an application and providing balloting materials to military and overseas
voters. The bill would establish certain election related deadlines and
repeal Section 50, Chapter 1318 (S.B. 100), Acts of the 82nd Legislature,
Regular Session, 2011, thereby prohibiting the Secretary of State from
adjusting or modifying affected election dates.
The bill authorizes retail electric providers, electric cooperatives,
or municipal electric utilities to establish a program assisting veterans
burned in combat and recover the costs associated with the program. The
bill would require the Public Utility Commission to compile a list of bill
payment assistance programs for burned veterans available from retail
electric providers and publish the list on the PUC's website.
The bill amends the Transportation Code to specify that a vehicle
operated by or for the transportation of certain disabled veterans or a
vehicle that displays a disabled veterans license plate issued in this
state or another state may be parked for an unlimited period in a parking
space or area that is designated specifically for persons with physical
disabilities on the property of an institution of higher education
regardless of whether a permit is generally required for the use. Senate Bill: 1158 Senate Author: Van de Putte, et al. The bill adds to the Veterans Education Counselors Program by requiring
the TVC to employ veteran's education counselors to work with institutions
of higher education, veterans groups, military installations, and local
workforce development boards to perform activities to enhance educational
opportunities for veterans. The bill amends the Education Code in regards to tuition and fee
exemptions for certain military personnel and their families relating to
the age requirement. The exemption applies to statutory tuition,
designated tuition, and certain fees at public higher education
institutions, including general academic institutions, health related
institutions, public community/junior colleges, and other two year
institutions.
This bill amends the Government Code to provide for the composition and
general powers and duties of the Texas Military Preparedness Commission,
including the requirement to: act as a liaison to improve coordination
among the Texas Commander's Council, the Texas Veterans Commission, the
Veterans' Land Board, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Office
of Public Utility Counsel, and the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality
The bill authorizes each state office building, the State Cemetery, and
at each veterans cemetery managed by the Veterans' Land Board to display
the Honor and Remember Flag on certain occasions.
The bill amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of
Motor Vehicles to issue specialty license plates that include the word
"retired" for certain retired members of the United States Armed
Forces.
This bill directs the Texas Veterans Commission to establish and
administer the Veteran Entrepreneur Program.
The bill amends the Government Code relating to the Texas Military
Forces by adding new Chapter 437 and repealing Sections 431.002, 431.003,
431.004, 431.005, 431.0055, 431.006, 431.007, 431.008, 431.009, 431.010,
431.011, 431.012, 431.013, 431.014, 431.015, 431.016, 431.017, 431.0175,
431.018, 431.0185, and subchapters B, C, D, F, G, and I of Chapter 431.
This bill adds military veterans to the Texas Home for Heroes program.
This bill adds duties to the TexAmericas Center to include promoting or
supporting an active military base located in the same county as the
authority to prevent closure or realignment of the base and attract new
military missions to the base.
This bill adds the new member agencies to the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services |