| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to qualifications for certain individuals for veterans |
|
|
benefits. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 434.029 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 434.029. CERTAIN VETERANS QUALIFIED FOR BENEFITS. (a) |
|
|
In this section, "COVID-19" means the 2019 novel coronavirus |
|
|
disease. |
|
|
(b) For purposes of determining qualifications for any |
|
|
veterans benefits or services from the state, a former member of the |
|
|
United States armed forces who received a less than honorable |
|
|
discharge due to the individual's refusal to receive a vaccination |
|
|
against COVID-19 shall be considered to have received an honorable |
|
|
discharge. |
|
|
(c) For a discharge of a former member of the United States |
|
|
armed forces to be considered honorable under Subsection (b), the |
|
|
former member of the United States armed forces must prove to the |
|
|
Texas Veterans Commission that the individual's refusal to receive |
|
|
a vaccination against COVID-19 was the sole reason for the |
|
|
individual's less than honorable discharge. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 493 passed the Senate on |
|
|
March 28, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Secretary of the Senate |
| |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 493 passed the House on |
|
|
May 22, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 14, one |
|
|
present not voting. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
______________________________ |
| |
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Approved: |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Governor |