S126 [Edition 1]

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

S 1

SENATE BILL 126*

Short Title: Create Veterans Task Force/PED Report.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Pate, Clark, D. Davis (Primary Sponsors); Bingham, Bryant, Daniel, J. Jackson, B. Jackson, Krawiec, Lowe, Newton, Smith‑Ingram, and Woodard.
Referred to:	Rules and Operations of the Senate.

February 27, 2015

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACt to establish the task force for veterans, service members, and their families; to direct the task force to implement a statewide strategic plan to track, coordinate, and improve services for veterans, service members, and their families; to require state agencies to collect and report data on services, benefits, and discounts provided to veterans, service members, and their families; and to establish the joint legislative veterans and military service members oversight committee to monitor implementation of the strategic plan, as recommended by the program evaluation division of the general assembly.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE FOR VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES

SECTION 1. Chapter 165 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:

"Article 9.

"Task Force on Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families.

"§ 165‑60. Creation of task force; membership; vacancies; chair; meetings; staffing.

(a) Creation. – There is created the Task Force for Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families within the Department of Administration for budgetary purposes only.

(b) Membership. – Effective January 1, 2015, the Task Force shall consist of 27 voting members appointed as follows:

(1) Ex officio members. – By virtue of their offices, heads of the following 16 departments or agencies, or their respective designees, shall serve on the Task Force:

a. The Department of Administration.

b. The Department of Commerce.

c. The Department of Health and Human Services.

d. The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency.

e. The North Carolina Community Colleges System.

f. The Department of Public Instruction.

g. The Department of Public Safety.

h. The North Carolina National Guard.

i. The Department of State Treasurer.

j. The University of North Carolina.

k. The Wildlife Resources Commission.

l. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

m. The Department of Cultural Resources.

n. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

o. The Office of State Human Resources.

p. The Department of Transportation.

(2) Appointed members. – Eleven members shall be appointed as follows:

a. The Governor shall appoint the following five members:

1. One member representing local government entities.

2. One member representing veteran services organizations.

3. One member representing other private and not‑for‑profit organizations that assist and advocate on behalf of North Carolina's veterans.

4. One member of the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission.

5. One member representing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

b. The following three members shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate under G.S. 120‑121:

1. One member representing local government entities.

2. One member representing veteran services organizations.

3. One member representing other private and not‑for‑profit organizations that assist and advocate on behalf of North Carolina's veterans.

c. The following three members shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives under G.S. 120‑121:

1. One member representing local government entities.

2. One member representing veteran services organizations.

3. One member representing other private and not‑for‑profit organizations that assist and advocate on behalf of North Carolina's veterans.

(c) Terms of Appointed Members; Vacancies. – Appointed members shall serve a term of two years and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor or the General Assembly, as applicable. A vacancy occurring during the term of appointment shall be filled by the Governor or the General Assembly, as applicable, for the balance of the unexpired term.

(d) Chair. – The members of the Task Force shall elect a chair of the Task Force.

(e) Meetings. – The Task Force shall meet at least quarterly upon the call of the Chair.

(f) Staffing. – Clerical and professional staff to the Task Force shall be provided by the Department of Administration. Task Force members shall receive no salary or per diem expenses as a result of serving on the Task Force but shall receive necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with State law.

"§ 165‑61. Duties of Task Force.

The Task Force shall have the following duties:

(1) To develop and implement interagency solutions to make North Carolina a more veteran‑friendly state and to engage in strategic and long‑range planning with respect to these goals.

(2) To make North Carolina the state of choice for veterans by facilitating a heightened level of collaboration and coordination in the provision of services that meet the needs of veterans, service members, and their families.

(3) To raise awareness of the veterans‑ and service member‑related efforts of all participating agencies and organizations in order to facilitate information sharing, joint planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities among federal, State, and local organizations and agencies.

(4) To build upon the gains of previous interagency efforts by expanding efforts beyond the realm of behavioral and physical wellness into all territories in which the veteran interacts with the State and his or her community such as employment, job training, education, licensure transferability, personal finance, home ownership, legal services, and recreation.

(5) To advise the Governor and the General Assembly on issues related to veterans, service members, and their families, in accordance with the reporting requirements set forth in G.S. 165‑62.

(6) To identify areas in which interagency and intra‑agency cooperation could be enhanced and to enhance cooperation in those areas in accordance with each agency's capabilities.

(7) To seek input from representatives of various branches and eras of the active, reserve, and guard components of the Armed Forces and their families, as well as from the organizations that serve them.

(8) To propose legislation that would benefit veterans, service members, and their families.

(9) To measure the effectiveness and implementation of statewide efforts to provide services, benefits, and discounts to veterans, service members, and their families.

(10) To track federal, State, and local legislation affecting veterans, service members, and their families.

(11) To perform any other functions the Task Force considers necessary to carry out its mandate.

"§ 165‑62. Reporting.

The Task Force shall make the following reports:

(1) An annual report shall be submitted to the Governor and to the General Assembly no later than November 1 of each year setting forth any Task Force recommendations for statutory, regulatory, or policy changes that would improve the provision of services to veterans, service members, and their families.

(2) Other reports requested by the Governor or required by the General Assembly shall be submitted in accordance with the applicable request or act."

PART II. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN FOR PROVISION OF SERVICES TO VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES

SECTION 2.(a) The Task Force for Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families shall create a subcommittee consisting of all of its ex officio members, which shall engage in a strategic planning process that does all of the following:

(1) Defines North Carolina's mission and vision for veterans, service members, and their families.

(2) Identifies critical stakeholders.

(3) Scans the internal and external environment for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. This component of the strategic planning process shall include a review of veterans programs in other states.

(4) Compares challenges and opportunities to the State's ability to meet challenges and seize opportunities.

(5) Identifies strategic issues based on the analyses conducted pursuant to subdivisions (3) and (4) of this section and formulates strategies for addressing these issues.

(6) Recommends ways to implement these strategies.

SECTION 2.(b) The strategic plan required by subsection (a) of this section shall define measureable outcomes and goals for veterans, service members, and their families that receive services, benefits, or discounts from State agencies. In addition, the plan should specify how the Task Force, in collaboration with State agencies, universities, and community colleges, intends to do all of the following:

(1) Coordinate the activities of existing programs and other efforts affecting veterans.

(2) Maximize the amount of federal dollars to support these efforts.

(3) Attract more veterans to the State.

(4) Track the number of veterans served and the services, benefits, and discounts provided to them.

(5) Track funding from all sources and expenditures on veteran‑related activities.

(6) Ensure veterans receive the services, benefits, and discounts due to them.

(7) Establish statewide goals, objectives, and outcomes for these efforts.

(8) Monitor progress toward achieving the established goals, objectives, and outcomes.

(9) Establish time frames for achieving these goals.

(10) Recommend remedial actions to take when performance falls short.

(11) Propose legislation that would benefit veterans, service members, and their families.

SECTION 2.(c) The subcommittee shall complete the strategic plan required by subsection (a) of this section and the Task Force shall approve the final plan no later than January 15, 2016. No later than April 15, 2016, the Task Force shall report the strategic plan to the Joint Legislative Veterans and Military Service Members Oversight Committee and thereafter shall report quarterly on the progress of implementing the plan.

PART III. REQUIRE TRACKING OF INFORMATION ON SERVICES PROVIDED BY STATE AGENCIES TO VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES

SECTION 3. Article 7 of Chapter 165 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 165‑44.02. Collection and reporting of information about services provided to veterans, service members, and their families.

(a) Collection. – Each State agency that provides a service, benefit, or discount that is targeted or directed at veterans, service members, or their families shall do all of the following:

(1) Determine the number of veterans, service members, and their families served and the services, benefits, and discounts provided to them.

(2) Identify all sources of funding for the services, benefits, and discounts provided to veterans, service members, and their families.

(3) Track outcomes for veterans, service members, and their families in accordance with outcome measures established by the Task Force for Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families.

(b) Reporting. – Each State agency shall report the information collected pursuant to this section during the previous fiscal year to the Task Force for Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families no later than September 1 of each year."

PART IV. ESTABLISH THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE VETERANS AND MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATEWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES

SECTION 4. Chapter 120 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:

"Article 12S.

"Joint Legislative Veterans and Military Service Members Oversight Committee.

"§ 120‑70.160. Creation and membership of Joint Legislative Veterans and Military Service Members Oversight Committee.

The Joint Legislative Veterans and Military Service Members Oversight Committee is established. The Committee consists of 16 members as follows:

(1) Eight members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, including at least two members of the minority party and a chair of each of the following Senate Appropriations Committees:

a. Education/Higher Education.

b. General Government and Information Technology.

c. Health and Human Services.

d. Natural and Economic Resources.

e. Justice and Public Safety.

f. Department of Transportation.

(2) Eight members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, including at least two members of the minority party and a chair of the each of the following House Appropriations Subcommittees:

a. Education.

b. General Government.

c. Health and Human Services.

d. Natural and Economic Resources.

e. Justice and Public Safety.

f. Transportation.

Terms on the Committee are for two years and begin on the convening of the General Assembly in each odd‑numbered year, except the terms of the initial members, which begin on appointment and end on the day of the convening of the 2017 General Assembly. Members may complete a term of service on the Committee even if they do not seek reelection or are not reelected to the General Assembly, but resignation or removal from service in the General Assembly constitutes resignation or removal from service on the Committee.

A member continues to serve until a successor is appointed. A vacancy shall be filled by the officer who made the original appointment.

"§ 120‑70.161. Purpose and powers of Committee.

(a) The Joint Legislative Veterans and Military Service Members Oversight Committee shall examine and monitor, on a continuing basis, the programs, initiatives, and efforts for veterans, service members, and their families in this State in order to improve accountability and to improve awareness of State programs for veterans, service members, and their families. The Committee may:

(1) Review reports prepared by the Task Force for Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families.

(2) Monitor and review the implementation of the statewide strategic plan for veterans, service members, and their families.

(3) Study any other matter the Committee believes is related to its purpose.

(b) The Committee shall report to the General Assembly any recommendations it has no later than December 31, 2017, and annually thereafter. The Committee shall submit a final report to the General Assembly no later than April 1, 2022. A report to the General Assembly may contain any legislation needed to implement a recommendation of the Committee.

"§ 120‑70.162. Organization of Committee.

(a) The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each designate a cochair of the Joint Legislative Veterans and Military Service Members Oversight Committee. The Committee shall meet upon the joint call of the cochairs.

(b) A quorum of the Committee is nine members. Only recommendations, including proposed legislation, receiving at least eight affirmative votes may be included in a Committee report to the General Assembly. While in the discharge of its official duties, the Committee has the powers of a joint committee under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4.

(c) The cochairs of the Committee may call upon other knowledgeable persons or experts to assist the Committee in its work.

(d) Members of the Committee shall receive subsistence and travel expenses as provided in G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate. The Committee may contract for consultants or hire employees in accordance with G.S. 120‑32.02. The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Committee in its work. Upon the direction of the Legislative Services Commission, the Supervisors of Clerks of the Senate and of the House of Representatives shall assign clerical staff to the Committee. The expenses for clerical employees shall be borne by the Committee.

"§ 120‑70.163. Sunset.

This Article expires July 1, 2022."

PART V. EFFECTIVE DATE

SECTION 5. This act is effective when it becomes law.