85R751 MTB-D     By: Lucio S.B. No. 544       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 434.038, Government Code, is amended by   amending Subsections (a), (a-1), (c), and (e) and adding Subsection   (a-2) to read as follows:          (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 by this   section may be provided by:                (1)  the commission; or                (2)  a public or private entity approved by the   commission under Subsection (e).          (a-2)  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.          (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.          (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 and examination; and                (5)  approve public or private entities to provide the   initial and continuing training required by this section.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.