Sec. 434.039. COORDINATION WITH COUNTY SERVICE OFFICERS AND COMMISSIONERS COURTS

The commission shall develop and adopt procedures to coordinate with county service officers and county commissioners courts to:

(1) identify the shared objectives of the commission, county service officers, and counties with a county service office in serving veterans;

(2) develop a plan for encouraging service officers to become accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs;

(3) develop a procedure for consulting with counties to evaluate the state's overall approach to service delivery by county service officers and commission claims staff as part of the state's veterans assistance network;

(4) define the commission's responsibilities in overseeing claims and appeals prepared by county service officers for instances when the commission has been designated as a veteran's agent under a power of attorney;

(5) develop a process for collecting information regarding claims filed by county service officers for instances when the commission has been designated as a veteran's agent under a power of attorney, for providing technical assistance to county service officers, and for providing evaluative information, on request, to county judges or other local officials who supervise county service officers;

(6) incorporate county service officers into United States Department of Veterans Affairs appeals hearings either to represent veterans or to appear as witnesses, as needed;

(7) explore opportunities for funding county service officer travel to participate in United States Department of Veterans Affairs appeals hearings; and

(8) develop procedures to regularly update county service officers on changes in United States Department of Veterans Affairs policies and procedures, and other information.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1269 , Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2007.