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.