| 1 | 1 | | S.B. No. 493 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to qualifications for certain individuals for veterans |
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| 6 | 6 | | benefits. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 434.029 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 434.029. CERTAIN VETERANS QUALIFIED FOR BENEFITS. (a) |
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| 11 | 11 | | In this section, "COVID-19" means the 2019 novel coronavirus |
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| 12 | 12 | | disease. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (b) For purposes of determining qualifications for any |
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| 14 | 14 | | veterans benefits or services from the state, a former member of the |
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| 15 | 15 | | United States armed forces who received a less than honorable |
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| 16 | 16 | | discharge due to the individual's refusal to receive a vaccination |
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| 17 | 17 | | against COVID-19 shall be considered to have received an honorable |
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| 18 | 18 | | discharge. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) For a discharge of a former member of the United States |
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| 20 | 20 | | armed forces to be considered honorable under Subsection (b), the |
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| 21 | 21 | | former member of the United States armed forces must prove to the |
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| 22 | 22 | | Texas Veterans Commission that the individual's refusal to receive |
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| 23 | 23 | | a vaccination against COVID-19 was the sole reason for the |
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| 24 | 24 | | individual's less than honorable discharge. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 26 | 26 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 27 | 27 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 28 | 28 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 29 | 29 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 30 | 30 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 31 | 31 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 32 | 32 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 493 passed the Senate on |
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| 33 | 33 | | March 28, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2. |
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| 34 | 34 | | ______________________________ |
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| 35 | 35 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 36 | 36 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 493 passed the House on |
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| 37 | 37 | | May 22, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 14, one |
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| 38 | 38 | | present not voting. |
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| 39 | 39 | | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 41 | 41 | | Approved: |
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| 42 | 42 | | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | 43 | | Date |
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| 44 | 44 | | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | Governor |
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