HBA-NRS, CMT C.S.H.B. 350 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 350
By: Wise
Civil Practices
3/27/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires the commissioners court in a county with a population
of 200,000 or more to maintain a veterans county service office. Some
veterans have experienced problems relating to the effectiveness of the
services they receive from their veterans county service office. C.S.H.B.
350 authorizes a resident of a county with a population of 200,000 or more
to bring a writ of mandamus to require the commissioners court to maintain
a veterans county service office that is separate and distinct from other
county offices.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 350 amends the Government Code to authorize a resident of a county
with a population of 200,000 or more to bring a writ of mandamus to require
the commissioners court to maintain a veterans county service office that
is separate and distinct from other county offices, and staffed by a least
one fulltime employee. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 350 removes language in the original bill authorizing a resident
of a county to use any other legal or equitable remedy to require the
commissioners court to maintain a veterans county service office.