Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

Over the past 18 months, Texas Legislative leaders have been listening to defense communities around the State and gathering information regarding BRAC and defense community needs. Through coordinated efforts with national, state and local leaders, both Senate and House committees dedicated to helping Texas prepare for BRAC 2005 and beyond have compiled comprehensive reports detailing issues and needs. Both the Senate Subcommittee on Base Realignment and Closure and the House Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee have published reports that include specific legislative recommendations for the 79th Legislature.

The Senate BRAC Subcommittee recommendations for better supporting Texas' military community are listed below.

1.Fund the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program (DEAAG) at a level sufficient to provide assistance to Texas defense communities that are negatively affected by BRAC 2005.

2.Expand the DEAAG Fund to allow for the funding of grants to be used by communities to prepare for BRAC and work to attract new missions.

3.Change the Revolving Loan Fund established by SB 652 to be accessible for post-BRAC needs.

4.Revise the statute that allows for the use of 4A/4B sales tax revenue to be used for development projects to include the ability to use the revenue to attract new military missions or prepare for BRAC.

5.Create a matching fund to be used by the Texas Military Preparedness Commission to support defense-dependent communities in their efforts to increase their military value.

6.Create a system to help expedite the licensing and certification process for military dependents in Texas.

7.Direct the Texas Workforce Commission to create a program with Texas' defense dependent communities to support military dependents transferring to Texas to find new employment.

8.Continue to monitor the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) progress in reaching reciprocity agreements nationwide, particularly with Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.

9.Work with the Texas Department of Insurance to develop stricter regulations on the sale of life insurance policies to service members.

10.Support the addition of personnel and funding for the TMPC to better serve defense-dependent communities.

11.Require State Agencies to work with the TMPC to begin assessing post-BRAC issues that will likely occur and work with defense-dependent communities to address infrastructure and human-capacity needs.

12.Develop an email listserv to provide an arena for community leaders, state leaders and national leaders to share information and ideas and to provide "best practice" stories.

13.Encourage continued regular meetings and communication between state leaders.

14.Support the timely publication of a monthly newsletter by the TMPC.

If you would like to read the entire Subcommittee report,click here.