85R7128 AAF-D     By: Lucio S.B. No. 591       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   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.