Bill Text: TX SB607 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relating to the operations and functions of the Veterans' Land Board and the sunset review date for and programs administered by the board.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 5-1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-07 - Effective on 9/1/19 [SB607 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB607-Enrolled.html
 
 
  S.B. No. 607
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the operations and functions of the Veterans' Land
  Board and the sunset review date for and programs administered by
  the board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 161.0111, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 161.0111.  SUNSET PROVISION. The Veterans' Land Board
  is subject to review under Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas
  Sunset Act), but is not abolished under that chapter. The board
  shall be reviewed during the period in which state agencies
  abolished in 2031 are reviewed [2019] and every 12th year after that
  [2019 are reviewed].
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 161, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended by adding Section 161.0141 to read as follows:
         Sec. 161.0141.  SEPARATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES.  The board
  shall develop and implement policies that clearly separate the
  policy-making responsibilities of the board and the management
  responsibilities of the executive secretary, assistant executive
  secretary, and staff of the board.
         SECTION 3.  Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The training program must provide the person with
  information regarding:
               (1)  the law governing board operations [the
  legislation that created the board];
               (2)  the programs, functions, rules, and budget of the
  board;
               (3)  the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking
  authority of the board;
               (4)  the results of the most recent formal audit of the
  board;
               (5) [(4)]  the requirements of:
                     (A)  laws relating to open meetings, public
  information, administrative procedure, and disclosure of conflicts
  of interest; and
                     (B)  other laws applicable to members of a state
  policy-making body in performing their duties; and
               (6) [(5)]  any applicable ethics policies adopted by
  the board or the Texas Ethics Commission.
         (d)  The commissioner shall create a training manual that
  includes the information required by Subsection (b).  The
  commissioner shall distribute a copy of the training manual
  annually to each member of the board. Each member of the board
  shall sign and submit to the commissioner a statement acknowledging
  that the member has received and reviewed the training manual.
         SECTION 4.  Section 161.031(a), Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The executive secretary or his or her designee shall
  prepare and maintain a written plan to assure implementation of a
  program of equal employment opportunity whereby all personnel
  transactions are made without regard to race, color, disability
  [handicap], sex, religion, age, or national origin. The plan shall
  include:
               (1)  a comprehensive analysis which meets federal and
  state guidelines of all the agency's work force by race, sex, ethnic
  origin, class of position, and salary or wages;
               (2)  plans for recruitment, evaluation, selection,
  appointment, training, promotion, and other personnel policies;
               (3)  procedures by which a determination can be made of
  significant underutilization in the agency work force of all
  persons for whom federal and state guidelines encourage a more
  equitable balance and steps reasonably designed to overcome any
  identified underutilization; and
               (4)  objectives and goals, with appropriate timetables
  for the achievement of the objectives and goals, assignments of
  responsibility for their achievement, and an appropriate program
  for reviewing and maintaining these goals and objectives once
  achieved.
         SECTION 5.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
  this section, Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, as amended
  by this Act, applies to a member of the Veterans' Land Board
  appointed before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
         (b)  A member of the Veterans' Land Board who, before the
  effective date of this Act, completed the training program required
  by Section 161.023, Natural Resources Code, as that law existed
  before the effective date of this Act, is required to complete
  additional training only on subjects added by this Act to the
  training program as required by Section 161.023, Natural Resources
  Code, as amended by this Act. A board member described by this
  subsection may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in
  attendance at a meeting of the board held on or after December 1,
  2019, until the member completes the additional training.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 607 passed the Senate on
  March 20, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 21, 2019, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 607 passed the House, with
  amendments, on April 29, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 142,
  Nays 1, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor
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