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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a grant program for junior reserve officers' training |
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corps programs to provide military funeral honors for veterans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 434.0072 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 434.0072. GRANT PROGRAM FOR VETERAN FUNERAL SERVICES. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "JROTC program" means a junior reserve officers' |
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training corps program for students in middle school, junior high |
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school, or high school established under 10 U.S.C. Section 2031. |
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(2) "Military funeral honors" means the services |
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described by 10 U.S.C. Sections 1491(b) and (c). |
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(3) "ROTC program" means a reserve officers' training |
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corps program established under 10 U.S.C. Section 2101. |
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(4) "Veteran" means a person who has served in: |
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(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, space |
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force, or marine corps of the United States; or |
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(B) the Texas National Guard or Texas State Guard |
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as defined by Section 437.001. |
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(b) The commission shall establish a grant program for JROTC |
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programs to provide military funeral honors at veteran funeral |
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services. |
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(c) A JROTC program may receive training on the requirements |
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and performance of military funeral honors at veteran funeral |
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services from a local organization with the training necessary to |
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perform military funeral honors, including: |
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(1) an ROTC program; |
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(2) a military honor guard; |
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(3) a Veterans of Foreign Wars post; |
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(4) a law enforcement agency; |
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(5) a fire department; or |
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(6) another nonprofit organization composed or in |
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service of veterans and qualified to provide training on the |
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requirements and performance of military funeral honors. |
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(d) To be eligible for a grant under this section, a JROTC |
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program must submit an application on the form the commission |
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prescribes. The commission shall post the application form on the |
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commission's publicly available Internet website. An application |
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for a grant under this section must include: |
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(1) the name of the local organization that trained |
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the JROTC program in the performance of military funeral honors at |
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veteran funeral services or, if the JROTC program was unable to |
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obtain training from a local organization, the names of the |
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organizations from which the JROTC program obtained training; |
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(2) a detailed plan for use of the grant money awarded |
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under this section, including for a JROTC program that intends to |
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purchase air rifles, details on whether the program is authorized |
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to purchase the air rifles and a plan for the safe use and storage of |
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the air rifles; and |
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(3) for a JROTC program awarded a grant in a preceding |
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school year, an explanation of the items purchased using grant |
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money from the preceding year that the JROTC program will continue |
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to use if awarded another grant. |
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(e) A JROTC program awarded a grant under this section shall |
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collaborate with community organizations to spread awareness among |
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veterans and veteran families of the program's availability to |
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perform military funeral honors in the community. |
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(f) Grant money awarded under this section may be used for: |
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(1) uniforms; |
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(2) air rifles, if: |
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(A) the school district in which the JROTC |
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program is located approves the purchase and use of air rifles; and |
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(B) the JROTC program includes in the grant |
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application a safe storage and use plan approved by the school |
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district; |
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(3) American flags in a size approved for providing |
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military funeral honors, if a flag has not been provided to a |
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veteran's family free of charge; |
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(4) bugles; |
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(5) audio recordings of and equipment to play TAPS; or |
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(6) tuition and fees for a JROTC program instructor to |
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enroll in a training course offered by an honor guard academy, if |
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the program is unable to receive training from a local |
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organization. |
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(g) A grant awarded under this section may not exceed $3,500 |
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per school year. |
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(h) The commission and the Veterans' Land Board may |
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publicize a JROTC program awarded a grant under this section as a |
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resource to perform military funeral honors at veteran funeral |
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services in the community in which the JROTC program is located and |
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the JROTC program shall make its best effort to perform military |
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funeral honors when requested. |
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(i) The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations |
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from any source to administer the grant program established under |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the commission shall adopt rules to implement the grant |
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program established under Section 434.0072, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |