88R5625 CXP-D     By: Raymond H.B. No. 5073       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to benefits and services for veterans and certain other   related benefits.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 434.0078(a), (c), and (e), Government   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  The commission shall adopt procedures for administering   claims assistance services under Section 434.007(a)(5). The   procedures must [shall] include:                (1)  criteria for determining when a veteran's initial   claim is substantially complete and basic eligibility requirements   are met as provided by federal law;                (2)  a process for expediting a claim based on   hardship, including whether the veteran:                      (A)  is in immediate need;                      (B)  is terminally ill;                      (C)  has a verifiable financial hardship; or                      (D)  has a disability that presents an undue   burden;                (3)  a procedure for advising [counseling] veterans on   the potential merits or drawbacks of pursuing a claim;                (4)  a process to ensure adequate documentation and   development of a claim or appeal, including early client   involvement, collection of needed evidence and records, and   analysis of actions necessary to pursue and support a claim or   appeal;                (5)  criteria for evaluating whether a decision of the   United States Department of Veterans Affairs contains sufficient   cause for filing an appeal;                (6)  a requirement that a claims benefit advisor   [counselor] report to the United States Department of Veterans   Affairs if the advisor [counselor] has direct knowledge that a   claim contains false or deceptive information; and                (7)  a procedure for prioritizing a claim, when   appropriate, or providing an alternative source for obtaining   claims assistance services when it is not appropriate to   prioritize.          (c)  The commission shall regularly evaluate claims   assistance services staffing to determine where advisors   [counselors] and special team staff are most needed. The   evaluation must include the:                (1)  workload of staff;                (2)  number of veterans denied claims assistance   services; and                (3)  quality of claims prepared at each of the claims   assistance services offices.          (e)  The commission shall regularly collect detailed   information on the outcome of claims and use that information to   evaluate and improve claims assistance services. The commission,   at a minimum, shall track and evaluate the [following information   by claims district:                [(1)  the quality of claims submitted to the state   strike force team;                [(2)  the percentage of claims developed through claims   assistance services that are processed as fully developed claims by   the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;                [(3)  the success rate of claims and appeals developed   through claims assistance services; and                [(4)  the] average processing time for claims and   appeals by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.          SECTION 2.  Section 434.018, Government Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 434.018.  PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE AWARD. (a)  The   commission may make a monetary performance incentive award to an   individual or an entity for providing services to veterans as   authorized by Section 3(a) of the federal Jobs for Veterans Act (38   U.S.C. Section 4112).          (b)  [The performance incentive award may be monetary or   nonmonetary.          [(c)]  A performance incentive award made under this section   to a state employee is not a promotion or a merit salary increase   under Chapter 659.          SECTION 3.  Sections 434.104(a), (b), (c), and (e),   Government Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  Not later than February 1 of each even-numbered year,   the commission shall create an electronic [version of a] state   veterans benefits booklet. The commission shall make a printable   [and provide a printed copy and an electronic] version of the   booklet available to:                (1)  each veterans county service officer; and                (2)  the personnel office of each state or federal   military installation in this state.          (b)  A veterans county service officer is encouraged to   inform [distribute a copy of the booklet to] any person who claims   or will claim Texas as a residence after discharge from the United   States armed forces how to access the electronic state veterans   benefits booklet.          (c)  Each veterans county service officer shall provide   access to [make a copy of] the electronic state veterans benefits   booklet [available] at the veterans county service office.          (e)  The commission shall make the [provide an] electronic   state veterans benefits [version of the] booklet available on the   commission's website.          SECTION 4.  Section 434.153, Government Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 434.153.  COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL.  The council is   composed of the director or executive head of the following   entities, or that person's designated representative:                (1)  the Texas Veterans Commission;                (2)  the Veterans' Land Board;                (3)  the Texas Military Department;                (4)  the Health and Human Services Commission;                (5)  the State Bar of Texas;                (6)  the office of acquired brain injury of the Health   and Human Services Commission;                (7)  the Department of State Health Services;                (8)  [the Department of Aging and Disability Services;                [(9)  the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative   Services;                [(10)]  the Department of Family and Protective   Services;                (9) [(11)]  the Texas Workforce Commission;                (10) [(12)]  the Texas Workforce Investment Council;                (11) [(13)]  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating   Board;                (12) [(14)]  the Texas Department of Licensing and   Regulation;                (13) [(15)]  the Department of Public Safety;                (14) [(16)]  the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;                (15) [(17)]  the Commission on Jail Standards;                (16) [(18)]  the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement   [Officer Standards and Education];                (17) [(19)]  the Texas Department of Housing and   Community Affairs;                (18) [(20)]  the Texas Department of Transportation;                (19) [(21)]  the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles;   and                (20) [(22)]  the Office of Public Utility Counsel.          SECTION 5.  The following provisions are repealed:                (1)  Section 54.344, Education Code;                (2)  Section 434.0072, Government Code;                (3)  Section 434.0078(f), Government Code; and                (4)  Section 434.106, Government Code.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.