HB1389 - Relating to a grant program for junior reserve officers' training corps programs to provide military funeral honors for veterans.

  89R5937 SCF-D     By: Garcia of Bexar H.B. No. 1389       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a grant program for junior reserve officers' training   corps programs to provide military funeral honors 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 434.0072 to read as follows:           Sec.   434.0072.     GRANT PROGRAM FOR VETERAN FUNERAL SERVICES.   (a)   In this section:                 (1)     "JROTC program" means a junior reserve officers'   training corps program for students in middle school, junior high   school, or high school established under 10 U.S.C. Section 2031.                 (2)     "Military funeral honors" means the services   described by 10 U.S.C. Sections 1491(b) and (c).                 (3)     "ROTC program" means a reserve officers' training   corps program established under 10 U.S.C. Section 2101.                 (4)  "Veteran" means a person who has served in:                       (A)     the army, navy, air force, coast guard, space   force, or marine corps of the United States; or                       (B)     the Texas National Guard or Texas State Guard   as defined by Section 437.001.           (b)     The commission shall establish a grant program for JROTC   programs to provide military funeral honors at veteran funeral   services.           (c)     A JROTC program may receive training on the requirements   and performance of military funeral honors at veteran funeral   services from a local organization with the training necessary to   perform military funeral honors, including:                 (1)  an ROTC program;                 (2)  a military honor guard;                 (3)  a Veterans of Foreign Wars post;                 (4)  a law enforcement agency;                 (5)  a fire department; or                 (6)     another nonprofit organization composed or in   service of veterans and qualified to provide training on the   requirements and performance of military funeral honors.           (d)     To be eligible for a grant under this section, a JROTC   program must submit an application on the form the commission   prescribes. The commission shall post the application form on the   commission's publicly available Internet website. An application   for a grant under this section must include:                 (1)     the name of the local organization that trained   the JROTC program in the performance of military funeral honors at   veteran funeral services or, if the JROTC program was unable to   obtain training from a local organization, the names of the   organizations from which the JROTC program obtained training;                 (2)     a detailed plan for use of the grant money awarded   under this section, including for a JROTC program that intends to   purchase air rifles, details on whether the program is authorized   to purchase the air rifles and a plan for the safe use and storage of   the air rifles; and                 (3)     for a JROTC program awarded a grant in a preceding   school year, an explanation of the items purchased using grant   money from the preceding year that the JROTC program will continue   to use if awarded another grant.           (e)     A JROTC program awarded a grant under this section shall   collaborate with community organizations to spread awareness among   veterans and veteran families of the program's availability to   perform military funeral honors in the community.           (f)  Grant money awarded under this section may be used for:                 (1)  uniforms;                 (2)  air rifles, if:                       (A)     the school district in which the JROTC   program is located approves the purchase and use of air rifles; and                       (B)     the JROTC program includes in the grant   application a safe storage and use plan approved by the school   district;                 (3)     American flags in a size approved for providing   military funeral honors, if a flag has not been provided to a   veteran's family free of charge;                 (4)  bugles;                 (5)  audio recordings of and equipment to play TAPS; or                 (6)     tuition and fees for a JROTC program instructor to   enroll in a training course offered by an honor guard academy, if   the program is unable to receive training from a local   organization.           (g)     A grant awarded under this section may not exceed $3,500   per school year.           (h)     The commission and the Veterans' Land Board may   publicize a JROTC program awarded a grant under this section as a   resource to perform military funeral honors at veteran funeral   services in the community in which the JROTC program is located and   the JROTC program shall make its best effort to perform military   funeral honors when requested.           (i)     The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations   from any source to administer the grant program established under   this section.          SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the commission shall adopt rules to implement the grant   program established under Section 434.0072, Government Code, as   added by this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.