88R15229 SCP-D     By: Garcia H.B. No. 4945       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to establishing a grant program for junior reserve officer   training 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 434.0073 to read as follows:          Sec. 434.0073.  GRANT PROGRAM FOR VETERAN FUNERAL SERVICES   IN CIVILIAN CEMETERY. (a)  In this section:                (1)  "JROTC program" means a junior reserve officer   training corps program for students in grades 6 through 12   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 officer 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, or   marine corps of the United States; or                      (B)  the Texas national guard as defined by   Section 437.001.          (b)  The commission shall establish a grant program for JROTC   programs to provide military funeral honors at funeral services for   veterans being buried in a cemetery other than a national military   cemetery or other military cemetery in this state.          (c)  A JROTC program may receive training on the requirements   and performance of military funeral honors at funerals of veterans   from a local organization that has the necessary training 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 that is composed of   or serves veterans and is 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 prescribed by the   commission. The commission shall make the application form   available 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 honors at veteran   funerals or, if the JROTC program was not able to obtain training   from a local organization, the names of the organizations the JROTC   program contacted to obtain training; and                (2)  a detailed plan for how the JROTC program will   spend grant money awarded under this section, including, if the   program intends to purchase air rifles, details on whether the   JROTC program is authorized to make the purchase and a plan for the   safe use and storage of the air rifles.          (e)  A JROTC program awarded a grant under this section shall   work with local organizations in the community to spread awareness   among veterans and the families of veterans 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 purchase and use of air rifles is   approved by the school district in which the JROTC program is   located; and                      (B)  the JROTC program includes in the grant   application a safe storage and use plan that is approved by the   school district;                (3)  American flags in a size approved for the purpose   of providing military honors, if one 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.          (h)  The commission and the Veterans' Land Board may   publicize a JROTC program that received a grant under this section   as a resource to perform military funeral honors at the funeral of a   veteran 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 434.0073, Government Code, as   added by this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.