Sec. 434.040. TEXAS VETERANS COUNTY SERVICE OFFICER TASK FORCE. (a) In this section:

(1) "Rural county" means a county with a population of less than 200,000.

(2) "Task force" means the Texas Veterans County Service Officer Task Force.

(3) "Urban county" means a county with a population of 200,000 or more.

(b) The Texas Veterans County Service Officer Task Force is established to study the impact and efficacy of officers in this state.

(c) The task force is composed of the following nine members:

(1) the chair of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs;

(2) the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security;

(3) a representative of the commission;

(4) the chair of the Veterans County Service Officer Advisory Committee;

(5) a representative of the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations;

(6) an officer representing a rural county selected by the chair of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs;

(7) an officer representing an urban county selected by the chair of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs;

(8) an officer representing a rural county selected by the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security; and

(9) an officer representing an urban county selected by the chair of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security.

(d) The chairs of the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs and Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security serve as co-chairs of the task force.

(e) A recommendation of the task force must be approved by a majority vote of the members of the task force.

(f) Each member of the task force has one vote.

(g) The task force shall:

(1) examine the role and duties of officers in each county;

(2) identify the regions of this state that are in need of officers; and

(3) determine types and levels of support needed from this state in order for officers to appropriately advocate for the veterans served by the officers.

(h) Not later than December 1, 2020, the commission shall prepare and submit a report based on recommendations of the task force regarding the issues described in Subsection (g) to the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security and House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs. The report must be approved by a majority vote of the members of the task force.

(i) This section expires January 1, 2021.

Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 675 (S.B. 2104), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2019.