H.B. No. 867

	AN ACT
	relating to the establishment and operation of the Texas Women
	Veterans Program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER E. TEXAS WOMEN VETERANS PROGRAM
	Sec. 434.201.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
	(1)  "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission.
	(2)  "Executive director" means the executive director
	of the commission.
	(3)  "Program" means the Texas Women Veterans Program.
	(4)  "Woman veteran" means a woman who:
	(A)  served on active duty in the armed forces of
	the United States or in the Texas National Guard on federal active
	duty under Title 10, United States Code; and
	(B)  was discharged or released from that service
	under conditions other than dishonorable.
	Sec. 434.202.  ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM; PROGRAM MISSION.
	(a) The Texas Women Veterans Program is established in the
	commission. The program is attached to the office of the executive
	director for administrative purposes.
	(b)  The mission of the program is to ensure that the women
	veterans of this state have equitable access to federal and state
	veterans' benefits and services.
	Sec. 434.203.  COORDINATOR. The executive director shall
	designate a women veterans coordinator for this state.
	Sec. 434.204.  GENERAL PROGRAM DUTIES. The program shall:
	(1)  provide assistance to the women veterans of this
	state as provided by this subchapter;
	(2)  perform outreach functions to improve the
	awareness of women veterans of their eligibility for federal and
	state veterans' benefits and services;
	(3)  assess the needs of women veterans with respect to
	benefits and services;
	(4)  review programs, research projects, and other
	initiatives designed to address the needs of the women veterans of
	this state;
	(5)  make recommendations to the executive director
	regarding the improvement of benefits and services to women
	veterans; and
	(6)  incorporate issues concerning women veterans in
	commission planning regarding veterans' benefits and services.
	Sec. 434.205.  ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC AWARENESS. (a) The
	program shall advocate for women veterans and work to increase
	public awareness about the gender-specific needs of women veterans.
	(b)  The program shall recommend legislative initiatives and
	the development of policies on the local, state, and national
	levels to address the issues affecting women veterans.
	Sec. 434.206.  COLLABORATION. The program shall collaborate
	with federal, state, county, municipal, and private agencies that
	provide services to women veterans.
	Sec. 434.207.  RESEARCH; DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION. (a)
	The program shall monitor and research issues relating to women
	veterans.
	(b)  The program shall disseminate information regarding
	opportunities for women veterans throughout the network of entities
	with which the program collaborates.
	Sec. 434.208.  EDUCATION. Through conferences, seminars,
	and training workshops with federal, state, county, municipal, and
	private agencies, the program shall provide guidance and direction
	to a woman veteran who is applying for grants, benefits, or
	services.
	Sec. 434.209.  HONOR AND RECOGNITION. The program shall
	promote events and activities that recognize and honor the women
	veterans of this state and women who serve in the military.
	Sec. 434.210.  FACILITIES. To the extent funding is
	available for that purpose, the program shall provide facilities as
	appropriate in support of the program.
	Sec. 434.211.  FUNDING; GRANTS. On behalf of the program,
	the commission may:
	(1)  accept and spend funds:
	(A)  appropriated to the commission for the
	operation of the program; and
	(B)  received from other sources, including
	donations and grants; and
	(2)  provide matching grants to assist in the
	implementation of the program's goals and objectives.
	SECTION 2.  Section 434.017(e), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(e)  To carry out any purpose of this chapter, the commission
	may solicit, accept, or refuse a gift, grant, devise, bequest of
	money, security, service, or property, including money raised or a
	service provided by a volunteer or volunteer group, to promote the
	work of the commission for any purpose related to the fund for
	veterans' assistance.  The commission may participate in the
	establishment and operation of an affiliated nonprofit
	organization that is established for the purpose of raising money
	for or providing services or other benefits to the commission or a
	program established in the commission, including the Texas Women
	Veterans Program.  A gift, grant, devise, or bequest to the fund may
	be appropriated in the same manner as other money in the fund,
	subject to the purposes provided by Subsection (c) and any
	limitation or requirement placed on the gift, grant, devise, or
	bequest by the donor or granting entity.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 867 was passed by the House on May 13,
	2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 122, Nays 24, 2 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 867 was passed by the Senate on May
	28, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 1.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor