85R7337 MTB-D
	By: Guillen	H.B. No. 2154

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to required training for veterans county service officers
	and assistant veterans county service officers.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 434.007, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 434.007.  DUTIES.  The commission shall:
	(1)  compile federal, state, and local laws enacted to
	benefit members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families
	and dependents;
	(2)  collect information relating to services and
	facilities available to veterans;
	(3)  cooperate with veterans service agencies in the
	state;
	(4)  inform members and veterans of the armed forces,
	their families and dependents, and military and civilian
	authorities about the existence or availability of:
	(A)  educational training and retraining
	facilities;
	(B)  health, medical, rehabilitation, and housing
	services and facilities;
	(C)  employment and reemployment services;
	(D)  provisions of federal, state, and local law
	affording rights, privileges, and benefits to members and veterans
	of the armed forces and their families and dependents; and
	(E)  other similar, related, or appropriate
	matters;
	(5)  assist veterans and their families and dependents
	in presenting, proving, and establishing claims, privileges,
	rights, and benefits they may have under federal, state, or local
	law;
	(6)  cooperate with all government and private agencies
	securing services or benefits to veterans and their families and
	dependents;
	(7)  investigate, and if possible correct, abuses or
	exploitation of veterans or their families or dependents, and
	recommend necessary legislation for full correction;
	(8)  coordinate the services and activities of state
	departments and divisions having services and resources affecting
	veterans or their families or dependents;
	(9)  approve a provider of [provide] training for and
	certify [certification of] veterans county service officers and
	assistant veterans county service officers in accordance with
	Section 434.038;
	(10)  through surveys or other reasonable and accurate
	methods of estimation, collect and maintain for each county in the
	state the number of servicemembers and veterans residing in the
	county and annually update and publish the information on the
	commission's website; and
	(11)  with the assistance and cooperation of the
	comptroller, inform and assist veterans and their families and
	dependents with respect to discovering and initiating claims for
	unclaimed property held by the United States Department of Veterans
	Affairs.
	SECTION 2.  Section 434.038, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 434.038.  TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION. (a) An officer
	shall, within the time after the date of the officer's appointment
	that the commission prescribes, complete a course of initial
	training [provided by the Texas Veterans Commission].  The
	commission shall issue the officer a certificate of training after
	completion of the initial training course.  To maintain
	certification, the officer shall complete continuing training to
	the extent required by the commission.  An officer must maintain
	certification to remain in office.
	(a-1)  Initial and continuing training required under this
	section shall be provided by a public or private entity approved by
	the commission under Subsection (d) [The commission shall develop
	and implement methods for providing training to officers.     The
	methods may include Internet-based seminars, participation through
	videoconference, cooperation with training provided by the United
	States Department of Veterans Affairs, and other methods as
	appropriate].
	(b)  [The commission shall provide, at commission expense,
	the initial and continuing training required by this section at
	least once each year.
	[(c)]  The commissioners court of an officer's county shall
	reimburse an officer's travel and lodging expenses incurred in
	attending [commission] training required under this section unless
	state funds are appropriated for that purpose. If state funds are
	appropriated, the commission shall make the reimbursement in the
	manner prescribed for the reimbursement of these expenses to state
	employees.
	(c) [(d)]  The commission shall develop [standard course
	materials,] training curriculum[,] and examinations to be used for
	county service officer certification and United States Department
	of Veterans Affairs accreditation.
	(d) [(e)]  The commission shall:
	(1)  maintain [course materials and] examinations in a
	central location [and provide county service offices and commission
	field staff with access to the course materials on the commission's
	Internet website];
	(2)  regularly update [course materials,] training
	curriculum[,] and examinations after consulting with:
	(A)  the United States Department of Veterans
	Affairs to ensure the [course materials,] training curriculum[,]
	and examinations are accurate and meet applicable United States
	Department of Veterans Affairs requirements; and
	(B)  accredited county service officers to ensure
	the [materials,] training curriculum[,] and examinations include
	issues developing at the county level;
	(3)  develop a training handbook containing
	instruction and case studies addressing:
	(A)  general assistance techniques, including how
	to provide general information regarding state and federal benefits
	and referrals for other services and to other agencies, and general
	information regarding state and federal benefits;
	(B)  basic counseling approaches for assisting
	veterans, their family members, and other eligible dependents
	filing benefit claims;
	(C)  basic information on United States
	Department of Veterans Affairs processes and procedures, including
	how to accurately complete claims and appeals forms and how to
	support claims;
	(D)  methods of collecting required documentation
	and developing claims and appeals;
	(E)  methods of documenting progress and updating
	a veteran's, a veteran's family member's, or another eligible
	dependent's case information;
	(F)  methods of assisting veterans, their family
	members, or other eligible dependents in pursuing appeals,
	including offering case knowledge in appeals hearings; and
	(G)  methods of representing veterans, their
	family members, or other eligible dependents during appeals
	hearings; [and]
	(4)  coordinate with the Department of State Health
	Services to incorporate a suicide prevention component as part of
	the accreditation training curriculum and examination; and
	(5)  approve a public or private entity that is
	accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to
	provide initial and continuing training required under this
	section.
	(e) [(f)]  The commission may establish rules to carry out
	the purposes of this section, including rules regarding carryover
	of credit for extra course attendance from one year into subsequent
	years and the anniversary date by which the continuing
	certification requirement must be met.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.