The commission must carry out a set of veterans-service duties, including compiling laws, gathering and sharing information, helping with claims and benefits, and setting annual priorities and performance measures.
Sec. 434.007. DUTIES. (a) The commission shall: (1) compile federal, state, and local laws enacted to benefit members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families and dependents; (2) collect information relating to services and facilities available to veterans; (3) cooperate with veterans service agencies in the state; (4) inform members and veterans of the armed forces, their families and dependents, and military and civilian authorities about the existence or availability of: (A) educational training and retraining facilities; (B) health, medical, rehabilitation, and housing services and facilities; (C) employment and reemployment services; (D) provisions of federal, state, and local law affording rights, privileges, and benefits to members and veterans of the armed forces and their families and dependents; and (E) other similar, related, or appropriate matters; (5) assist veterans and their families and dependents in presenting, proving, and establishing claims, privileges, rights, and benefits they may have under federal, state, or local law; (6) cooperate with all government and private agencies securing services or benefits to veterans and their families and dependents; (7) investigate, and if possible correct, abuses or exploitation of veterans or their families or dependents, and recommend necessary legislation for full correction; (8) coordinate the services and activities of state departments and divisions having services and resources affecting veterans or their families or dependents; (9) provide training and certification of veterans county service officers and assistant veterans county service officers in accordance with Section 434.038; (10) through surveys or other reasonable and accurate methods of estimation, collect and maintain for each county in the state the number of servicemembers and veterans residing in the county and annually update and publish the information on the commission's website; (11) with the assistance and cooperation of the comptroller, inform and assist veterans and their families and dependents with respect to discovering and initiating claims for unclaimed property held by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; (12) annually evaluate and set priorities for each program administered by the commission to meet the changing needs of veterans in this state; (13) annually set concrete goals for staff and measure the staff's performance; and (14) establish success measures and corresponding targets for each program administered by the commission and report the program's progress in meeting the measures and targets in: (A) any annual internal report for that program; and (B) the commission's strategic plan under Section 2056.002. (b) In setting priorities under Subsection (a)(12), the commission shall consider: (1) the existing strategic plan under Section 2056.002 and the needs assessment under Section 434.017(c-1); (2) complaint data; (3) performance outcomes; (4) veteran survey results; (5) staff input; and (6) any other available information. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 364, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1381 (S.B. 1058), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 453 (S.B. 1660), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (S.B. 601), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2019.