bill opening Veterans’ Land Board loans to border mission troops

The text as introduced · 466 words

89R3675 JG-D

By: Hopper
H.B. No. 2327

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility for loans from the Veterans' Land Board.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 161.001(a)(7), Natural Resources Code,

is amended to read as follows:

(7) "Veteran" means a person who:

(A)(i) served not less than 90 days, unless

sooner discharged by reason of a service-connected disability, on

active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, United States

Public Health Service (as constituted under 42 U.S.C. Section 201

et seq.), or Marine Corps of the United States after September 16,

1940, and who on the date of filing an application under the program

has not been dishonorably discharged from the branch of the service

in which the person served;

(ii) has at least 20 years of active or

reserve military service as computed when determining the person's

eligibility to receive retired pay under applicable federal law;

(iii) has enlisted or received an

appointment in the Texas National Guard, who has completed all

initial active duty training required as a condition of the

enlistment or appointment, and who on the date of filing the

person's application has not been dishonorably discharged from the

Texas National Guard; [ or ]

(iv) served in the armed forces of the

Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, if

the board adopts a rule regarding these veterans under Subsection

(b); or

(v) served as a member of a military force

organized under state law and who, on the date of filing an

application under this chapter:

(a) has served for 184 days or more as

part of a mission to secure the Texas-Mexico border on behalf of

this state;

(b) has not been dishonorably

discharged from the military force in which the person served; and

(c) is not a member of the

legislature;

(B) at the time of the person's enlistment,

induction, commissioning, appointment, or drafting was a bona fide

resident of this state or has resided in this state at least one

year immediately before the date of filing an application under

this chapter; and

(C) at the time of the person's application under

this chapter is a bona fide resident of this state. The term

includes the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died or who

is identified as missing in action if the deceased or missing

veteran meets the requirements of this section, with the exception

that the deceased or missing veteran need not have served 90 days

under Paragraph (A)(i) of this subdivision, and if the deceased or

missing veteran was a bona fide resident of this state at the time

of enlistment, induction, commissioning, appointment, or drafting.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.