House Committee Resources: Defense & Veterans' Affairs
The committee has requested written submissions on the following topics. Below are resources related to those topics.
House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
Charge 1: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- HB 1326, which is the sunset legislation for the Texas Military Department. Examine the Adjutant General's policy outlining the director of state administration's responsibility for state administrative interests across all programs, including evaluating procedures for oversight of state employees and mitigating compliance risks.
- Texas Military Department (Sunset Review Documents for the 2018-2019 Review Cycle, 86th Legislative Session), Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
Charge 2: Study the mental health treatment options available for all Texas veterans, including efforts to fill gaps left by federal government. Make recommendations for future legislation streamlining mental health treatment coordination among federal, state, and local agencies.
- Report and Recommendations to the 87th Texas Legislature (Charge 3 – Veteran Mental Health), Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security, September 2020
- Report on the Mental Health Program for Veterans for Fiscal Year 2019, As Required by Health and Safety Code, Section 1001.224 and the 2020-21 General Appropriations Act, House Bill 1, 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019 (Article II, Health and Human Services Commission, Rider 59), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, December 2019
- Report on Short-Term Action Plan to Prevent Veteran Suicides: As Required by Texas Government Code § 531.0999 (now Texas Government Code § 531.0925, redesignated from § 531.0999 in 86th Legislature, 2019), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, September 2019
- Veterans Mental Health Department, Texas Veterans Commission
- Mental Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Charge 3: Study the potential impact of eliminating Regional Military Sustainability Commissions as an ineffective tool in assisting Texas military installations and their host defense communities with protecting the missions, operations, readiness, and resiliency of military installations. Identify new and enhanced strategies to replace the Commissions with land use limitations or restrictions, regulatory strategies, annexation powers, contractual agreements, or other tools to preserve military use areas inside and outside municipal boundaries.
- The Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program (DCIP): FY2020 Funding and Approved Projects, Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2020
- Counties and Military Installations 101: Leveraging the Farm Bill to Promote Compatible Land Use and Community Development, National Association of Counties, January 21, 2020
- Preparing for Duty: State Policy Options to Sustain Military Installations, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 2016
- Active Duty Military Installations, Texas Military Preparedness Commission, Office of the Texas Governor
- Military-Community Planning, North Central Texas Council of Governments
- Military Transformation Task Force (MTTF), City of San Antonio, Texas
- Office of Economic Adjustment, U.S. Department of Defense
- Texas Local Government Code Chapter 397A, Regional Military Sustainability Commissions Relating to Certain Military Installations
Charge 4: Examine gaps in services and assess efforts to connect justice-involved veterans, senior citizens, and homeless populations to services while incarcerated and after release at both the local and state levels. Specifically, the committee should evaluate training and technical assistance provided by the Texas Veterans Commission to criminal justice agencies.
- Reentry Resource Guide, Reentry and Integration Division, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, revised October 19, 2020
- Biennial Reentry and Reintegration Services Report, Reentry and Integration Division, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, September 2020
- Homelessness Among Veterans in Texas: A Report Submitted to the 85th Texas Legislature (Appendices), Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, December 1, 2016
- Veterans Justice Outreach Program, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Incarcerated Veterans, Elderly Veterans, Homeless Veterans (VA benefits and programs), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Texas Veterans Portal, State of Texas (Texas.gov)
Charge 5: Review the connection between the economic vitality of business and industry and the economic vitality of our military veterans transitioning into the workforce. Specifically, the committee should analyze barriers to military veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life, the effectiveness of government transition and training benefits, and current and ongoing demand for veteran and military spouse employment from industry in Texas.
- 2020 Report on the Transition from Military Service to Employment (HB 257 Report), Texas Workforce Commission, August 14, 2020
- House Committee Resources: International Relations & Economic Development (Blog – Charge 5), Legislative Reference Library, August 14, 2020
- "To Solve Military Spouse Unemployment, It Needs to Be Tracked, Report Says," MilitaryTimes, July 25, 2020
- Military Spouse Unemployment: Exploring Solutions to a Local Problem of National Importance, Deloitte Center for Government Insights, July 22, 2020
- "VA Study Finds Transition Assistance Program Worthwhile" (News Release), Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, June 12, 2020
- Post-Separation Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Assessment (PSTAP): 2019 Cross-Sectional Survey Report, Office of Transition and Economic Development (TED), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, June 3, 2020
- A Path to Employment for Veterans with Disabilities, National Conference of State Legislatures, July 2019
- Interim Report to the 86th Texas Legislature (Charge 4 – Joint charge on veterans' employment in the aviation, aerospace, and defense manufacturing industry, with the House Committee on Economic & Small Business Development), House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs, December 2018
- Interim Report to the 86th Texas Legislature (Charge 5 – Joint charge on veterans' employment in the aviation, aerospace, and defense manufacturing industry, with the House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs), House Committee on Economic & Small Business Development, November 2018
- Veteran Transition, George W. Bush Presidential Center
Charge 6: Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration.
