By Berman                                              H.B. No. 271
         77R48 MXM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the ineligibility of certain veterans to receive
 1-3     benefits under the Veterans' Land Program, the Veterans' Housing
 1-4     Assistance Program, or the Veterans' Financial Assistance Program.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Section 161.001, Natural Resources Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 1-8           (c)  For purposes of this section, a person who has been
 1-9     discharged from the branch of the service in which the person
1-10     served or from the Texas National Guard is considered to have been
1-11     dishonorably discharged unless the person was honorably discharged
1-12     or discharged under honorable conditions. Discharges considered to
1-13     be dishonorable include the following:
1-14                 (1)  a bad conduct discharge;
1-15                 (2)  a discharge under other than honorable conditions;
1-16                 (3)  a dishonorable discharge; and
1-17                 (4)  an undesirable discharge.
1-18           SECTION 2. Section 162.001, Natural Resources Code, is
1-19     amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
1-20           (c)  For purposes of this section, a person who has been
1-21     discharged from the branch of the service in which the person
1-22     served or from the Texas National Guard is considered to have been
1-23     dishonorably discharged unless the person was honorably discharged
1-24     or discharged under honorable conditions. Discharges considered to
 2-1     be dishonorable include the following:
 2-2                 (1)  a bad conduct discharge;
 2-3                 (2)  a discharge under other than honorable conditions;
 2-4                 (3)  a dishonorable discharge; and
 2-5                 (4)  an undesirable discharge.
 2-6           SECTION 3. Section 164.002, Natural Resources Code, is
 2-7     amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 2-8           (c)  For purposes of this section, a person who has been
 2-9     discharged from the branch of the service in which the person
2-10     served or from the Texas National Guard is considered to have been
2-11     dishonorably discharged unless the person was honorably discharged
2-12     or discharged under honorable conditions. Discharges considered to
2-13     be dishonorable include the following:
2-14                 (1)  a bad conduct discharge;
2-15                 (2)  a discharge under other than honorable conditions;
2-16                 (3)  a dishonorable discharge; and
2-17                 (4)  an undesirable discharge.
2-18           SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately.  The changes in
2-19     law made by this Act do not affect a contractual obligation that
2-20     exists on that date.