TITLE: Relating to a community outreach campaign to increase awareness of veterans benefits and services.

SUMMARY: Relating to a community outreach campaign to increase awareness of veterans benefits and services.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a community outreach campaign to increase awareness of veterans benefits and services. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 434.024 to read as follows: Sec. 434.024. VETERANS COMMUNITY OUTREACH CAMPAIGN. (a) The Texas Veterans Commission shall conduct a community outreach campaign to provide information relating to and increase awareness of benefits and services available to veterans, including: (1) claims assistance services; (2) technology services, including the veterans website under Section 434.102; (3) health, financial, rehabilitation, and housing services; (4) employment and reemployment services; and (5) legal services, including the veterans treatment court program under Chapter 124. (b) The community outreach campaign must include outreach efforts at: (1) community centers; (2) places of worship; and (3) any other place in a community where veterans routinely gather, as determined by the commission. (c) The commission shall collaborate with, and may contract with, community-based or nonprofit organizations to implement the community outreach campaign under this section. (d) The commission may solicit and accept gifts and grants to fund the community outreach campaign under this section. SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2018, the Texas Veterans Commission shall establish the veterans community outreach campaign as required under Section 434.024, Government Code, as added by this Act, and the Texas Veterans Commission shall adopt any rules necessary to implement the campaign. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.