Purpose

Texas Government Code §434.0101 authorizes the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) to establish advisory committees.

An advisory committee is a collection of individuals who bring unique knowledge and skills which augment the knowledge and skills of the Commission to more effectively guide the organization. The advisory committee does not have formal authority to govern the organization; that is, the advisory committee may not issue directives that must be followed. Rather, the advisory committee serves to make recommendations and/or provide key information and materials to the Commission.

The Texas Veterans Commission established three Advisory Committees in accordance with the Texas Administrative Code, § 452.2. Additionally, all committees must comply with the Open Meetings Act.

• Fund for Veterans’ Assistance Advisory Committee
• Veterans County Service Officer Advisory Committee
• Veterans Services Advisory Committee

Each committee is composed of nine (9) members. Committee members shall serve staggered 4-year terms (beginning January 1, unless appointed to fill a vacant/resigned position). Committee members shall serve only one term on the same committee. Once their term is over, they may apply for another committee.

Committee members are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Commission. Each year at the 1st Quarterly Commission Meeting (normally held in November), the Commissioners approve appointments to the TVC advisory committees to fill the positions of those members whose terms are expiring at the end of that calendar year.

APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP HERE

Appointment Process

Applications will be reviewed starting September 1st and any application submitted after the September 1st date will be considered for the following year’s selection process.

Prior to the start of the application review period (September 1st to October 15th), the TVC Director assisting the advisory committee will work with the TVC Legal Assistant and review the list of current committee members and the expiration of their terms. The Communications Department will ensure the application, application information, and guidelines to apply for an advisory committee position is updated on the TVC website. At the beginning of the application review period, applications are collected and forwarded by the Deputy Executive Director to the appropriate TVC Director who will review and rank the applications.

The Deputy Executive Director shall convene a panel consisting of the TVC Director assisting the advisory committee. The panel will compile the final candidate recommendations to the Commission. The Deputy Executive Director will present the panel recommendations to the Commissioners at the 1st Quarterly Commission Meeting for approval. The Commissioners will consider the panel’s candidates for appointment to the advisory committees. The Commissioners’ selections will be effective January 1st of the following calendar year.

Following the 1st Quarterly Commission Meeting, the TVC Director assisting the committee will notify new appointees by phone (within two weeks of the Commission meeting) followed by an email. Directors will also provide the committee member with the following forms (coordinating with the legal assistant) to complete and return:

• Acceptance of Appointment
• Conflict of Interest Policy & Acknowledgement
• Nondisclosure Policy & Acknowledgement
• Release of Personal Information Election Form
• Training Requirements for Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act

The TVC Director assisting the advisory committee will send written notifications to applicants who were not selected to serve on an advisory committee within two weeks of the Commission’s selections. The TVC Director assisting the advisory committee will notify the Deputy Executive Director once the letters are sent.

New members must return their completed forms and training certificates to the TVC Director assisting the committee, who will work with the Legal Assistant and the TVC Training Section to maintain a log of members who are compliant with all training requirements. The Training Section and the Legal Team provide guidance and support; however, the TVC Training Team will maintain the advisory committee members’ forms. Forms will be maintained and tracked by year for each committee in the Learning Management System (LMS). Contact information for new members is compiled by the Deputy Executive Director’s Executive Assistant from the applications and will be maintained in the TVC Advisory Committee SharePoint folder. Committee members whose terms have expired may be recognized at the 2nd Quarterly Commission Meeting .