HBA-JEK, CBW H.B. 271 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 271
By: Berman
State, Federal & International Relations
2/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Each branch of the U.S. military uses various terms to describe the
character of service for each person discharged from duty.  While
"honorable" and "dishonorable" discharges are clearly identified as such,
other types of discharges are not as clearly described.   Under current
law, participation in the Veterans' Land Program, the Veterans' Housing
Assistance Program, and the Veterans' Financial Assistance Program is
available to veterans who have not been "dishonorably discharged."  Because
other terms are used to describe the possible dishonorable conditions of a
veteran's discharge, it may be unclear as to whether participation in these
programs is available to veterans who have been discharged under these
conditions.  House Bill 271 expands the definition of veteran in the
Natural Resources Code to exclude veterans who have received a discharge
that was not honorable from receiving benefits under the Veterans' Land
Program, the Veterans' Housing Assistance Program, and the Veterans'
Financial Assistance Program. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 271 amends the Natural Resources Code to provide that veterans
who have been dishonorably discharged are not eligible to receive benefits
under the Veterans' Land Program, the Veterans' Housing Assistance Program,
or the Veterans' Financial Assistance Program.  The bill provides that a
person who has been discharged from a branch of the service or from the
Texas National Guard is considered to have been dishonorably discharged
unless the person was  honorably discharged or discharged under honorable
conditions.  The bill sets forth that discharges considered to be
dishonorable include a bad conduct discharge, a discharge under other than
honorable conditions,  a dishonorable discharge, and an undesirable
discharge.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage.