83rd Texas Legislature Results 2013

Results for Veteran related bills considered by the 83rd Texas Legislature: [posted on: 5-31-2013]

The information shown below is the outcome for the major Veteran related Bills considered by the 83rd Texas Legislature. The information was distributed by Kerwin Stone, Secretary of the VVA Texas State Council, via email on May 28, 2013, to all Texas VVA TSC Chapters, including all VVA Texas Chapter members. Please read further to determine if you or your family is affected.

Message from John A Miterko, Veterans Advocate: [posted on: 5-31-2013]
HB 194: A major victory was the passage of HB 194 which will allow Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOBs) to compete for State contracts in the same category as HUBs (Historically Underutilized Businesses: based on race, gender and ethnicity). This is the 4th Legislative Session (and the 8th year) that the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations has been advocating for passage of this bill. Full credit goes to the Texas grassroots veterans who answered the call repeatedly to contact their State Representative or Senator in support of SDVOB legislation. Jim Brennan, TCVO Research/Resource Director took up residence at the State Capitol working the halls, the offices, and the phones of key House and Senate legislators to educate them on the benefits of HB 194, and to answer their questions, to ensure passage of this important piece of legislation. This was a true team effort. Please ensure that our grassroots members receive this email, and that they are made aware that, without their support, no veteran-related legislation would have passed.

For tax exemption bills, Texas Veterans disabled less than 100% will have to wait until the 84th Texas Legislature to see the dollar amount that may be exempted from the appraised value of their principal residence increased. Due to the fiscal impact to the State, SB 465 and SJR 30 were not able to gain support in the Senate or the House, and the bills died in Finance and Ways & Means committees. This will be a top priority for TCVO during the 18-month Interim leading up to the start of the 84th Texas Legislature in January 2015.

NOTE: For the Bills sent to Governor Perry, the options available to the Governor are: sign and approve the bill, veto the bill, or do nothing. If Governor Perry does nothing, the bill(s) in question will automatically pass after 16 June 2013.

HB 194: Texas grassroots veterans have made it possible for HB 194, which will allow Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses to compete for State contracts in the same category as HUBs (Historically Underutilized Businesses: based on race, gender, ethnicity), to pass the House and the Senate and be sent to Governor Perry for his approval.

Your help is needed one more time to show Governor Perry that the Veterans in Texas stand behind this bill and urge him to make the Bill law by signing HB 194. NOTE: AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, please email Governor Perry through his assistant, Kate Fite. Her email address is: kate.fite@governor.state.tx.us

Also please copy Jim Brennan who has been the pointman on HB 194 and SDVOB legislation through the last four Legislative Sessions. Jim Brennan's email address is: jbrennan@aausasupply.com

Governor Perry: As a Texas Veteran I personally ask you to support HB 194. Texas Veterans have spent eight years over the past four Legislative Sessions working to pass this bill. HB 194 will be a huge help to our service disabled brothers and sisters who want to be productive and to be a part of the great economy of Texas. You have proven to be a strong supporter of our men and women in uniform, and I ask you, as one Veteran to another, that you continue your support by signing HB 194.

Thank you, Governor Perry, for your service to Texas.

Respectfully:
(your name here)

A final report on the 83rd Texas Legislature: [posted on: 5-31-2013]
The current status of key bills that the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations has been supporting is shown below.

HJR 62 (House Joint Resolution) passed the House 5/10/13 and passed the Senate on 5/21/13. HJR 62 will be sent to the Secretary of State as a proposed amendment to the State Constitution. The Bill pertains to 100% property tax exemption for surviving spouses of service members killed in action or dies while on active duty.

SB 163 on the Senate side, would exempt the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the USA who is killed in action. SB 163 passed the House and Senate on 5/24/13, and was approved by Governor Perry on 5/27/13. NOTE: This Act takes effect 1 January 2014, but only if HJR 62 (a change to the Texas Constitution) is approved by the voters in the November Proposition ballots.

HB 214 and HJR 21, which propose a 100% exemption for property taxes for the surviving spouse of a 100% disabled veteran who died before the current law went into effect on 1 Jan 2009, were referred to the House Ways & Means Committee as of 2/5/13. 4/25/13 HB 214 and HJR 21 were reported favorably without amendments from the House Ways & Means Committee, and on 5/2/13 were sent to Calendars. NOTE: There has been no movement and the bills are considered dead.

SB 465 and SJR 30, and its companion bills HB 1217 and HJR 82, which address increasing the dollar amount from the appraised value of the property of a veteran disabled less than 100% have been left pending in the Senate Finance Committee since May. On the House side HB 1217 has been left pending in the House Ways and Means Committee since 4/22/13. NOTE: Both bills are dead..

HJR 24, proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of part of the market value of the residence homestead of a partially disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a partially disabled veteran if the residence was donated to the disabled veteran by a charitable organization. HJR 24 was signed by the House on 5/24/13 and the Senate on 5/26/17, and will be sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

HB 97, the enabling legislation for HJR 24 passed the House on 5/10/13, and passed the Senate as Amended on 5/22/13, and was approved by Governor Perry on 5/27/13. NOTE: This Act takes effect 1 January 2014, but only if HJR 24 (a change to the Texas Constitution) is approved by the voters in the November Proposition ballots.

HB 194 (Farias/Ratliff/Menendez/Guerra) will place SDVOBs as “economically disadvantaged” which will allow SDVOBs to compete for State contracts in the same category as HUBs (Historically Underutilized Businesses: race, gender, and ethnicities) if their VA rated disability is 20% or greater. The bill was voted out of the House Defense Affairs Committee favorably without amendments on 3/28/13. HB 194 passed with amendments from the House on 5/8/13, passed the Senate on 5/22/13. 5/27/13: HB 194 was signed in the House and the Senate, and was sent to the Governor 5/27/13 for approval or veto. Please see urgent message above from John Miterko requesting that all veterans send email immediately to Rick Perry, asking that he please support and sign HB 194.

HB 633 (Farias/Moody) Relating to a voluntary contribution to the fund for veterans' assistance when applying for a driver's license or personal identification certificate. 4/11/13: passed House; reported Engrossed; passed the Senate on 5/22/13 and was reported. 5/24/13: report enrolled and signed in the House. HB 633 was sent to the Governor for approval or veto on 5/27/13.

HB 1123 (Herrero) Toll road exemptions for Medal of Honor, Disabled Veterans, and Purple Heart recipients. Passed the House on 5/8/13; passed the Senate on 5/22/13. 5/23/13: Senate passage reported in the House. 5/25/13: signed in the House. HB 1123 was sent to the Governor for approval or veto on 5/27/13.

HB 1678 (Frullo/Duncan) Relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for surviving spouses of disabled veterans of the United States armed forces; authorizing a fee. 5/26/13 HB 1678 has passed the House and the Senate; 5/27/13: sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

SB 981 (Van de Putte/Davis/Hinojosa) Relating to electric utility bill payment assistance programs for certain veterans burned in combat. 5/20/13 passed the House; 5/24/13: signed in the Senate. SB 981 was sent to the Governor for approval or veto on 5/27/13.

SB 1159 (Van de Putte/Diane Patrick) Relating to higher education for certain military personnel and their dependents: readmission to graduate and professional programs. SB 1159 was signed in the House and Senate on 5/27/13. SB 1159 will be sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

HB 485 (Sarah David/Guillen/Ralph Sheffield) Relating to the amount of the fees paid by certain peace officers, correctional officers, members of the state military forces, and veterans of the armed forces for a license to carry a concealed handgun and to the issuance of such a license to certain peace officers and members of the state military forces; authorizing a fee. 5/21/13: signed in the House and the Senate; 5/22/13: sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

SB 162 (Van de Putte/Davis/Hinojosa/Rodriguez) Relating to the occupational licensing of spouses of members of the military and the eligibility requirements for certain occupational licenses issued to applicants with military experience. 5/6/13: signed in the House and the Senate; 5/18/13: signed by the Governor. The Bill is effective Immediately!

HB 3064 (Menendez/Moody) Relating to the disposition of unclaimed cremated remains of certain veterans. 5/20/13: signed in the House and the Senate; 5/20/13: sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

HB 150 (Larson/Rick Miller/Sheets/Farias/Anderson) Relating to the display of flags at half-staff at the Capitol building to honor service members killed in action. 5/20/13: signed in the House and Senate; 5/20/13: sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

SB 597 (Birdwell/Uresti) Relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for certain Operation Enduring Freedom veterans. 4/4/13: passed the Senate; 5/23/13: passed the House. 5/24/13 SB 597 is enrolled and sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

HB 402 (Sarah Davis) Relating to a medal for certain members of the state military forces who served during the Cold War; authorizing a fee. 5/20/13: signed in the House and the Senate; 5/20/13: sent to the Governor for approval or veto.

SB 1476 (West) Relating to the creation of the Veteran Entrepreneur program by the Texas Veterans Commission. 5/16/13: approved by the House and the Senate. 5/27/13 approved by the Governor.

HB 1514 (Donna Howard) Provides World War II veterans with veterans license plates that allow them to receive privileged parking benefits including use of most parking meters free of charge. Governor Perry approved the bill on 5/27/13.