The commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, and the Veterans' Land Board must make an MOU, coordinate on using the system to help veterans maximize benefits, and file an annual report by October 1.
Sec. 526.0603. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE REPORTING INFORMATION SYSTEM; MAXIMIZATION OF BENEFITS. (a) In this section, "system" means the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) operated by the Administration for Children and Families of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. (b) The commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, and the Veterans' Land Board shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for the purposes of: (1) coordinating and collecting information about state agencies' use and analysis of data received from the system; and (2) developing new strategies for state agencies to use system data in ways that: (A) generate fiscal savings for this state; and (B) maximize the availability of and access to benefits for veterans. (c) The commission and the Texas Veterans Commission: (1) shall coordinate to assist veterans in maximizing the benefits available to each veteran by using the system; and (2) together may determine the geographic scope of the efforts described by Subdivision (1). (d) Not later than October 1 of each year, the commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, and the Veterans' Land Board collectively shall submit to the legislature, the governor, and the Legislative Budget Board a report describing: (1) interagency progress in identifying and obtaining United States Department of Veterans Affairs benefits for veterans receiving Medicaid and other public benefits; (2) the number of veterans benefits claims awarded, the total dollar amount of veterans benefits claims awarded, and the costs to this state that were avoided as a result of state agencies' use of the system; (3) efforts to expand the use of the system and improve the effectiveness of shifting veterans from Medicaid and other public benefits to United States Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, including any barriers and the manner in which state agencies have addressed those barriers; and (4) the extent to which the Texas Veterans Commission has targeted specific veteran populations, including populations in rural counties and in specific age and service-connected disability categories, in order to maximize benefits for veterans and savings to this state. (e) The report may be consolidated with any other report relating to the same subject matter the commission is required to submit under other law. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 769 (H.B. 4611), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2025.