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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the improvement of health, fitness, and readiness of |
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the Texas military forces. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Texas Military |
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Forces Health and Readiness Act. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 437, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter J to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER J. HEALTH AND READINESS |
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Sec. 437.451. FITNESS STANDARDS. (a) The department shall |
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establish and post on the department's Internet website baseline |
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fitness standards aligned with fitness requirements of the United |
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States armed forces and the specific operational needs of this |
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state in order to ensure clear performance expectations for service |
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members. |
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(b) To assist service members in meeting the fitness |
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standards established under Subsection (a), the department shall: |
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(1) develop partnerships with fitness facilities in |
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this state to provide gym memberships for service members; |
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(2) ensure access to certified fitness professionals |
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and training specialists to support service members in meeting the |
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fitness standards; and |
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(3) establish fitness centers for service members with |
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specialized equipment and training programs to support mission |
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readiness. |
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Sec. 437.452. DIGITAL HEALTH INTEGRATION PLATFORM. The |
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department shall develop and implement a digital fitness platform |
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for service members. The platform must: |
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(1) provide real-time health monitoring, personalized |
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training plans, and performance tracking; |
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(2) include injury prevention guidance, early |
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intervention protocols, and mental resilience tools; and |
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(3) ensure secure data integration with existing |
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department health systems. |
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Sec. 437.453. COMPREHENSIVE WELLNESS SUPPORT PROGRAM. The |
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department shall establish an integrated health and resilience |
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program to provide professional injury rehabilitation services, |
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mental health support, and dietary counseling to service members. |
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The program must include: |
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(1) enhanced meal plans in dining facilities, access |
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to meal preparation services, and nutrition education tailored to |
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performance goals; |
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(2) if covered by gifts, grants, or donations, family |
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and spousal fitness benefits, including gym memberships, |
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resilience training, and wellness workshops; and |
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(3) unit-based counseling, confidential crisis |
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intervention services for at-risk personnel, and stress management |
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and resilience training as part of a holistic wellness approach. |
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Sec. 437.454. PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION FRAMEWORK. The |
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department shall implement an annual fitness excellence program |
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that: |
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(1) provides awards for superior fitness |
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achievements; |
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(2) offers career advancement opportunities in |
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recognition of superior fitness achievements of service members, |
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including specialized training and leadership development; and |
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(3) recognizes individual and unit-level achievement |
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through ceremonies and public events. |
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Sec. 437.455. ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. |
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(a) The department shall submit quarterly reports to the |
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legislature regarding the activities of the department under this |
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subchapter. The reports must include: |
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(1) the participation rates of service members; |
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(2) aggregated information on changes in service |
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members' fitness and health indicators; |
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(3) the overall impact of the activities on service |
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member readiness and deployment; |
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(4) cost-benefit analyses and return-on-investment |
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calculations; and |
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(5) recommendations for optimization and expansion of |
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activities to ensure continued effectiveness and sustainability. |
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(b) The department shall implement corrective action plans |
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if a report indicates a decline in fitness readiness rates. Any |
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corrective action must be implemented not later than the 10th day |
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after the date the report is published. |
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(c) The department shall: |
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(1) assign fitness and wellness officers to each unit |
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to monitor compliance with goals; and |
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(2) establish fitness mentorship programs, pairing |
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high-performing members with members who are struggling to meet |
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readiness standards. |
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Sec. 437.456. FUNDING; AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES. |
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(a) The department may implement this subchapter using any funds |
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available to the department for that purpose, including: |
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(1) money appropriated to the department; and |
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(2) federal grant funding. |
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(b) The department may enter into an agreement with a |
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private entity located in this state that provides fitness, health, |
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or nutrition services in order to implement this subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |