Committee Summary
Committee Members (7)
- Chairman: State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills)
- Vice-Chairman: State Sen. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound)
- Members:
- State Sen. César Blanco (D-El Paso)
- State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin)
- State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio)
- State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood)
- State Sen. Kevin Sparks (R-Midland)
Committee Partisan Split
4R – 3D
Committee Efficiency
| Legislation Referred to Committee | Legislation Voted Out of Committee | Overall Efficiency |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | 21 | 39.62% |
Number of Committee Meetings: 9
| Legislation Status | HBs | HJRs | HCRs | SBs | SJRs | SCRs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referred to Committee | 28 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Voted Out of Committee | 12 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Efficiency | 42.86% | – | – | 36% | – | – |
Committee Jurisdiction
The Texas Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs is tasked with addressing issues pertinent to veterans, including their health care, mental health, housing, and employment. Key areas of jurisdiction and focus for the committee include:
- Veteran Mental Health: The committee reviews current mental health programs for veterans, identifying barriers to accessing mental health resources, particularly for rural veterans. Recommendations are made to improve access to mental health support.
- Veteran Housing: The committee studies the accessibility and affordability of housing for veterans, identifying factors contributing to veteran homelessness. It also evaluates whether the Veterans Land Board has the necessary tools to assist eligible veterans with home loans and housing.
- Support Service Database: The committee works on creating a centralized database to facilitate the seamless provision of veteran benefits by state agencies. This involves improving coordination among state, federal, and local agencies that provide benefits to veterans.
- Transition to Civilian Life: The committee evaluates barriers to military veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life, assessing the effectiveness of government transition and training benefits. It also examines the current and ongoing demand for veteran and military spouse employment in Texas.
- Monitoring Implementation of Legislation: The committee monitors the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, ensuring that policies are effectively enacted and recommending improvements where necessary.
Committee Contact Information
Capitol Location
Sam Houston Building, 345
Phone Number
(512) 463-2211
