81R9546 MCK-D
By: Farabee H.B. No. 2849
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to creating an identification card for veterans.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 434.019 to read as follows:
Sec. 434.019. MILITARY VETERAN IDENTIFICATION CARDS. (a)
In this section:
(1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission.
(2) "Veteran" means a person who:
(A) has served in:
(i) the army, navy, air force, coast guard,
or marine corps of the United States; or
(ii) the state military forces as defined
by Section 431.001; and
(B) has been honorably discharged from the branch
of the service in which the person served.
(b) The commission shall issue an identification card to
each veteran in the state who:
(1) applies for an identification card; and
(2) provides proof of the person's military service as
described by Subsection (a)(2), including proof of the veteran's
honorable discharge.
(c) The identification card must include:
(1) the full name of the veteran;
(2) a photograph of the veteran consistent with the
veteran's appearance;
(3) the branch of the armed forces in which the veteran
served;
(4) the signature of the executive director of the
Texas Veterans Commission;
(5) a brief description of the veteran, including the
veteran's height, weight, and eye color;
(6) the thumbprint of the veteran or a bar code with a
unique identification label for the veteran;
(7) the date the card was issued to the veteran; and
(8) a phone number operational 24 hours a day, seven
days a week that a person may call to verify the validity of the
identification card.
(d) On the identification card, the commission shall print:
(1) "State of Texas" and the state seal; and
(2) "This identification card certifies that (insert
name of veteran) is an honorably discharged veteran who served in
the armed forces."
(e) An identification card issued under this section
expires on a date specified by the commission.
(f) An identification card issued under this section must
be, to the extent practicable, tamper-proof.
(g) If an identification card issued under this section is
lost or stolen, the commission may:
(1) require a veteran to submit an affidavit executed
by the veteran that the identification card was lost or stolen; and
(2) issue a duplicate identification card to the
veteran.
(h) The commission may adopt rules to administer this
section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.