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.