|  | 
      
        |  | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | 
      
        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to the Texas military; imposing criminal penalties; | 
      
        |  | authorizing fees. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | ARTICLE 1. TEXAS MILITARY | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.01.  Subtitle C, Title 4, Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Chapter 437 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | CHAPTER 437. TEXAS MILITARY | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Active military service" means state active duty | 
      
        |  | service, federally funded state active duty service, or federal | 
      
        |  | active duty service.  The term does not include service performed | 
      
        |  | exclusively for training, such as basic combat training, advanced | 
      
        |  | individual training, annual training, inactive duty training, and | 
      
        |  | special training periodically made available to service members. | 
      
        |  | (2)  "Adjutant general" means the military commander of | 
      
        |  | the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (3)  "Department" means the Texas Military Department. | 
      
        |  | (4)  "Employee" has the meaning assigned by Section | 
      
        |  | 21.002, Labor Code. | 
      
        |  | (5)  "Employer" has the meaning assigned by Section | 
      
        |  | 21.002, Labor Code. | 
      
        |  | (6)  "Executive director" means the administrative | 
      
        |  | head of the department. | 
      
        |  | (7)  "Military duty" means any activity of a service | 
      
        |  | member performing a duty under a lawful military order, including | 
      
        |  | training. | 
      
        |  | (8)  "Service member" means a resident of this state | 
      
        |  | who is a member or former member of the state military forces or a | 
      
        |  | component of the United States armed forces, including a reserve | 
      
        |  | component. | 
      
        |  | (9)  "State active duty" means the performance of | 
      
        |  | military or emergency service for this state at the call of the | 
      
        |  | governor or the governor's designee. | 
      
        |  | (10)  "State military forces" means the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces. | 
      
        |  | (11)  "State training and other duty" means the service | 
      
        |  | and training typically performed by service members in preparation | 
      
        |  | for state active duty.  The term includes training for man-made and | 
      
        |  | natural disaster response and maintenance of equipment and | 
      
        |  | property. | 
      
        |  | (12)  "Temporary state employee" means a service member | 
      
        |  | who is  not a full-time or part-time state employee and who is on | 
      
        |  | state active duty. | 
      
        |  | (13)  "Texas Military Department" means the state | 
      
        |  | agency charged with administrative activities in support of the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (14)  "Texas military forces" means the Texas National | 
      
        |  | Guard, the Texas State Guard, and any other military force | 
      
        |  | organized under state law. | 
      
        |  | (15)  "Texas National Guard" means the Texas Army | 
      
        |  | National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. | 
      
        |  | (16)  "Texas State Guard" means the volunteer military | 
      
        |  | forces that provide community service and emergency response | 
      
        |  | activities for this state, as organized under the Second Amendment | 
      
        |  | to the United States Constitution, and operating as a defense force | 
      
        |  | authorized under 32 U.S.C. Section 109. | 
      
        |  | (17)  "Unit" means any organized group of the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces that has a designated commander. | 
      
        |  | (18)  "Unit fund" means: | 
      
        |  | (A)  money held by a military unit to support the | 
      
        |  | service members in the military unit while serving in the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces; | 
      
        |  | (B)  the state post exchange services account; or | 
      
        |  | (C)  the billeting account. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.0011.  REFERENCE IN OTHER LAW.  A reference in other | 
      
        |  | law to the adjutant general's department means the Texas Military | 
      
        |  | Department. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.002.  COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. (a) The governor is the | 
      
        |  | commander-in-chief of the Texas military forces, except any portion | 
      
        |  | of those forces in the service of the United States.  The governor | 
      
        |  | has full control and authority over all matters relating to the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces, including organization, equipment, and | 
      
        |  | discipline. | 
      
        |  | (b)  If the governor is unable to perform the duties of | 
      
        |  | commander-in-chief, the adjutant general shall command the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces, unless the state constitution or other state law | 
      
        |  | requires the lieutenant governor or the president of the senate to | 
      
        |  | perform the duties of governor. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.003.  GOVERNOR'S MILITARY APPOINTMENTS. (a) The | 
      
        |  | governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint | 
      
        |  | an adjutant general to a two-year term expiring February 1 of each | 
      
        |  | even-numbered year.  The adjutant general is responsible for | 
      
        |  | leading and managing the Texas military forces. The adjutant | 
      
        |  | general is subordinate only to the governor in matters pertaining | 
      
        |  | to the Texas military forces. The adjutant general's rank is | 
      
        |  | assigned at the discretion of the governor and may not exceed | 
      
        |  | lieutenant general. Federal recognition is at the rank authorized | 
      
        |  | by the National Guard Bureau.  The adjutant general may be referred | 
      
        |  | to as the commanding general of the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (b)  On recommendation of the adjutant general, the governor | 
      
        |  | shall appoint a deputy adjutant general for army, a deputy adjutant | 
      
        |  | general for air, and the commander of the Texas State Guard. The | 
      
        |  | deputy adjutants general and commander serve until replaced. To be | 
      
        |  | qualified for appointment as a deputy adjutant general or | 
      
        |  | commander, a service member must have the qualifications required | 
      
        |  | for appointment as adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The governor shall appoint, commission, and assign the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard general officers.  The governor may remove or | 
      
        |  | reassign an officer.  To be eligible for appointment as a general | 
      
        |  | officer, a service member must have: | 
      
        |  | (1)  been a federally recognized officer of not less | 
      
        |  | than field grade of the Texas National Guard or a regular or reserve | 
      
        |  | component of the United States military or served at least 15 years | 
      
        |  | of combined service as a commissioned officer in the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces or a regular or reserve component of the United States | 
      
        |  | military; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  served at least three years as a commissioned | 
      
        |  | officer in the Texas State Guard. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The governor may delegate the powers granted by | 
      
        |  | Subsection (c) to the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.004.  REGULATING TEXAS MILITARY FORCES.  (a) The | 
      
        |  | governor shall make and publish rules, according to existing | 
      
        |  | federal and state law, to govern the Texas military forces. The | 
      
        |  | rules must address general orders and forms for the performance of | 
      
        |  | duties of service members on military duty, including provisions | 
      
        |  | governing courts-martial. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The governor may reorganize and provide rules relating | 
      
        |  | to the organization of any portion of the Texas National Guard, | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard, emergency militia, or other military force | 
      
        |  | organized under state law. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The governor may obtain from the United States | 
      
        |  | government the arms, equipment, munitions, or other military | 
      
        |  | supplies to which the state is entitled for use by the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The governor, as the governor determines to be in this | 
      
        |  | state's best interest, shall designate the locations for storage of | 
      
        |  | arms, equipment, munitions, or other military property owned by or | 
      
        |  | under the control of this state. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The governor may delegate the powers granted by this | 
      
        |  | section to the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.005.  AUTHORITY FOR STATE ACTIVE DUTY, STATE | 
      
        |  | TRAINING, AND OTHER DUTY.  (a) The governor may activate all or part | 
      
        |  | of the Texas military forces to state active duty or for state | 
      
        |  | training and other duty. The governor may delegate all or part of | 
      
        |  | the authority granted by this section to the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (b)  On delegation of the authority by the governor, the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general may order all or part of the Texas military forces | 
      
        |  | to state training and other duty if funding has been provided in the | 
      
        |  | General Appropriations Act or volunteer resources are available. | 
      
        |  | (c)  On delegation of the authority by the governor, the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general may order all or part of the Texas military forces | 
      
        |  | to state training and other duty if requested by a federal, state, | 
      
        |  | or local governmental entity and the entity authorizes | 
      
        |  | reimbursement of the costs to this state. | 
      
        |  | (d)  A service member called to state active duty or to state | 
      
        |  | training and other duty has the rights, privileges, duties, | 
      
        |  | functions, and authorities conferred or imposed by state law. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.006.  STATE OF INSURRECTION.  The governor by | 
      
        |  | proclamation may declare any portion of this state where the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces are serving in aid of the civil authority to be in a | 
      
        |  | state of insurrection if the governor determines that law and order | 
      
        |  | will be promoted by the declaration. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.007.  OFFICERS.  (a) The governor shall appoint and | 
      
        |  | commission officers of the Texas National Guard. To be eligible for | 
      
        |  | appointment, a service member must be qualified under United States | 
      
        |  | law and regulations. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The adjutant general shall appoint and commission | 
      
        |  | officers, other than a general officer, in the Texas State Guard. To | 
      
        |  | be eligible for appointment, a service member must be qualified | 
      
        |  | under state guard rules and be recommended for appointment by the | 
      
        |  | commander of the state guard. | 
      
        |  | (c)  An officer appointed under this section shall take and | 
      
        |  | subscribe the official oath. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.008.  ENLISTMENT AND APPOINTMENT.  (a) Federal law | 
      
        |  | prescribes the terms and the qualifications and requirements for | 
      
        |  | enlistment and appointment in the Texas National Guard. The | 
      
        |  | governor and legislature may prescribe additional terms, | 
      
        |  | qualifications, and requirements that do not conflict with federal | 
      
        |  | law. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Enlistment in the Texas State Guard is prescribed by | 
      
        |  | Subchapter G. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.009.  MILITARY FACILITIES PROJECTS: MATCHING | 
      
        |  | FEDERAL FUNDS. If the governor, after consulting with the adjutant | 
      
        |  | general, determines that the state is eligible for federal matching | 
      
        |  | funds for projects at military facilities in this state, the | 
      
        |  | governor may direct that money appropriated for another purpose be | 
      
        |  | used to obtain the federal matching funds if the appropriation | 
      
        |  | authorizes the money to be used for that purpose. | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER B. TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.051.  SUNSET PROVISION.  The department is subject | 
      
        |  | to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as | 
      
        |  | provided by that chapter, the department is abolished and this | 
      
        |  | subchapter expires September 1, 2019. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.052.  ADJUTANT GENERAL:  JURISDICTION, DIVISION OF | 
      
        |  | RESPONSIBILITIES, AND QUALIFICATIONS.  (a) The adjutant general | 
      
        |  | exercises the jurisdiction and powers conferred by this subtitle. | 
      
        |  | The adjutant general is the governing officer, policy maker, and | 
      
        |  | head of the department. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The adjutant general shall adopt and implement rules or | 
      
        |  | policies that clearly separate the adjutant general's | 
      
        |  | responsibilities from the administrative responsibilities of the | 
      
        |  | department's executive director and staff. | 
      
        |  | (c)  To be eligible for appointment as adjutant general, a | 
      
        |  | service member must: | 
      
        |  | (1)  at the time of appointment, be serving as a | 
      
        |  | federally recognized officer of not less than colonel in the Texas | 
      
        |  | National Guard; | 
      
        |  | (2)  have previously served on active duty or active | 
      
        |  | duty for training with the United States Army or Air Force; | 
      
        |  | (3)  meet for the year the appointment is made the | 
      
        |  | submission requirements of the General Officer Federal Recognition | 
      
        |  | Board or its successor; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  have completed at least 15 years of service as a | 
      
        |  | federally recognized reserve or active duty commissioned officer | 
      
        |  | with an active unit of the United States Army or Air Force, the | 
      
        |  | National Guard, or the Texas National Guard, including at least | 
      
        |  | five years with the Texas National Guard. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The appointment of the adjutant general shall be made | 
      
        |  | without regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, | 
      
        |  | or national origin of the appointee. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.053.  ADJUTANT GENERAL:  DUTIES.  The adjutant | 
      
        |  | general shall: | 
      
        |  | (1)  perform duties assigned by the governor relating | 
      
        |  | to the military affairs of this state; | 
      
        |  | (2)  assume responsibility for the overall leadership, | 
      
        |  | management, accountability, and operations of the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces, including the transportation of troops, munitions, | 
      
        |  | military equipment, and property in this state; | 
      
        |  | (3)  oversee the preparation of returns and reports | 
      
        |  | required of this state by the United States; | 
      
        |  | (4)  maintain a register of all officers of the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces; | 
      
        |  | (5)  publish at state expense, when necessary, state | 
      
        |  | military law and rules; | 
      
        |  | (6)  make available annual reports concerning the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces; | 
      
        |  | (7)  establish reasonable and necessary fees for the | 
      
        |  | administration of this subtitle; | 
      
        |  | (8)  employ and arm, as the adjutant general determines | 
      
        |  | appropriate, persons licensed under Title 10, Occupations Code, to | 
      
        |  | protect property that is under the adjutant general's authority and | 
      
        |  | to satisfy applicable security requirements; | 
      
        |  | (9)  define and prescribe the kind and amount of | 
      
        |  | supplies, including operational munitions for use in this state, to | 
      
        |  | be purchased for the Texas military forces; | 
      
        |  | (10)  prescribe general rules for the maintenance of | 
      
        |  | supplies and for the transportation and distribution of supplies | 
      
        |  | from the place of purchase to camps, stations, companies, or other | 
      
        |  | necessary places of safekeeping; | 
      
        |  | (11)  have supplies, whether the property of the United | 
      
        |  | States or this state, properly cared for and kept in good order and | 
      
        |  | ready for use; and | 
      
        |  | (12)  as the adjutant general determines appropriate, | 
      
        |  | sell or destroy property and supplies or exchange property and | 
      
        |  | supplies for other military property and supplies. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.0531.  EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY | 
      
        |  | STATEMENT.  The adjutant general shall adopt a written policy | 
      
        |  | statement to implement a program of equal employment opportunity | 
      
        |  | under which all personnel transactions are made without regard to | 
      
        |  | race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin. | 
      
        |  | The policy statement must include: | 
      
        |  | (1)  personnel policies, including policies relating | 
      
        |  | to recruitment, evaluation, selection, appointment, training, and | 
      
        |  | promotion of personnel that comply with Chapter 21, Labor Code; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a comprehensive analysis of the department's | 
      
        |  | workforce that meets federal and state laws, rules, and regulations | 
      
        |  | and instructions directly adopted from those laws, rules, and | 
      
        |  | regulations; | 
      
        |  | (3)  procedures for determining the extent of underuse | 
      
        |  | in the department's workforce of persons for whom federal or state | 
      
        |  | laws, rules, and regulations and instructions directly adopted from | 
      
        |  | those laws, rules, and regulations encourage a more equitable | 
      
        |  | balance; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  reasonable methods to appropriately address the | 
      
        |  | areas of underuse described in Subdivision (3). | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.054.  ADJUTANT GENERAL:  GENERAL POWERS.  (a) The | 
      
        |  | adjutant general is the decision-making authority on all matters | 
      
        |  | concerning the location and maintenance of military forces and | 
      
        |  | facilities in this state. The adjutant general may set priorities | 
      
        |  | for the construction, renovation, repair, and maintenance of Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces armories, facilities, and improvements owned or | 
      
        |  | leased by this state.  The adjutant general in this capacity is a | 
      
        |  | public authority and a body politic and corporate and has all powers | 
      
        |  | necessary for the acquisition, construction, rental, control, | 
      
        |  | maintenance, operation, and disposition of Texas military forces | 
      
        |  | facilities and real property and all associated property and | 
      
        |  | equipment. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The adjutant general may execute a cooperative | 
      
        |  | agreement with the National Guard Bureau and an interagency | 
      
        |  | military agreement with a federal, state, or local governmental or | 
      
        |  | quasi-governmental agency. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The adjutant general may delegate the authority granted | 
      
        |  | under this section in whole or in part. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.055.  SEAL.  The seal of the adjutant general | 
      
        |  | consists of a five-pointed star with "Adjutant General, State of | 
      
        |  | Texas" around the margin. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.056.  MANDATORY TRAINING FOR ADJUTANT GENERAL.  (a) | 
      
        |  | Before the adjutant general may assume the duties of the office and | 
      
        |  | before the adjutant general may be confirmed by the senate, the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general must complete at least one course of the training | 
      
        |  | program established under this section. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A training program established under this section must | 
      
        |  | provide information to the adjutant general regarding: | 
      
        |  | (1)  this chapter; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the federal and state programs operated by the | 
      
        |  | department; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the federal and state roles and functions of the | 
      
        |  | department; | 
      
        |  | (4)  the rules of the department, with an emphasis on | 
      
        |  | disciplinary and investigatory authority rules; | 
      
        |  | (5)  the current budget for the department, with | 
      
        |  | emphasis on state and federal funds; | 
      
        |  | (6)  the results of the most recent formal federal and | 
      
        |  | state audits of the department; | 
      
        |  | (7)  the requirements of: | 
      
        |  | (A)  Chapter 552; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  the federal Freedom of Information Act (5 | 
      
        |  | U.S.C. Section 552); | 
      
        |  | (8)  the requirements of the conflict-of-interest laws | 
      
        |  | and other laws relating to public officials; | 
      
        |  | (9)  any applicable ethics policies adopted by the | 
      
        |  | department or the Texas Ethics Commission; and | 
      
        |  | (10)  the requirements and development of the Master | 
      
        |  | Cooperative Agreement between this state and the federal | 
      
        |  | government. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.057.  DEPUTY ADJUTANTS GENERAL.  (a) A deputy | 
      
        |  | adjutant general has the rank prescribed by the governor, not to | 
      
        |  | exceed the grade authorized for federal recognition in the | 
      
        |  | position.  A deputy adjutant general may not be promoted to a rank | 
      
        |  | higher than that of the adjutant general. A deputy adjutant general | 
      
        |  | is entitled to the rights, privileges, amenities, and immunities | 
      
        |  | granted officers of that rank in the Texas National Guard. A deputy | 
      
        |  | adjutant general may be removed from office by the governor. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A deputy adjutant general shall assist the adjutant | 
      
        |  | general by performing assigned duties. If the adjutant general is | 
      
        |  | dead, absent, or unable to act, the deputy adjutant general who is | 
      
        |  | senior in rank, including tenure in that position and grade, shall | 
      
        |  | perform the duties of the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Each deputy adjutant general must complete the training | 
      
        |  | required of the adjutant general as prescribed by Section 437.056 | 
      
        |  | not later than the 60th day after the date of appointment. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.058.  GENERAL OFFICERS.  (a) The adjutant general | 
      
        |  | may appoint as general officers an assistant deputy adjutant | 
      
        |  | general for army, an assistant deputy adjutant general for air, an | 
      
        |  | assistant deputy adjutant general for homeland security, and an | 
      
        |  | assistant deputy adjutant general for government affairs. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A general officer may not be promoted to a rank higher | 
      
        |  | than that of the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A general officer appointed under this section is | 
      
        |  | responsible to and serves at the pleasure of the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The assistant deputy adjutant general for the army shall | 
      
        |  | support the deputy adjutant general for the army, represent the | 
      
        |  | command staff at events as needed, and manage the activities | 
      
        |  | assigned by the adjutant general or the deputy adjutant general for | 
      
        |  | the army. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The assistant deputy adjutant general for the Army | 
      
        |  | National Guard or the Air National Guard, as determined by the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general, shall: | 
      
        |  | (1)  coordinate with other state agencies in matters | 
      
        |  | pertaining to homeland security to ensure state emergency services | 
      
        |  | are provided and organized to support the state operations center; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (2)  coordinate homeland security actions taken by the | 
      
        |  | National Guard Bureau in this state. | 
      
        |  | (f)  The assistant deputy adjutant general for the Army | 
      
        |  | National Guard or the Air National Guard, as determined by the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general, shall coordinate activities of the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces with the National Guard Bureau to ensure funding and | 
      
        |  | coordination with other federal, state, and local jurisdictions and | 
      
        |  | officials in matters relating to the operations of the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces occurring in the assistant deputy adjutant | 
      
        |  | general's jurisdiction or oversight. | 
      
        |  | (g)  The Texas military forces shall have at least one | 
      
        |  | traditional Texas Air National Guard general officer and two | 
      
        |  | traditional Texas Army National Guard general officers to support | 
      
        |  | the operation and command of the Texas National Guard. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.059.  ADJUTANT GENERAL APPOINTMENTS.  The adjutant | 
      
        |  | general, as the adjutant general determines appropriate and with | 
      
        |  | available funds, may appoint full-time employees of the department, | 
      
        |  | traditional national guard members, state guard volunteers, or | 
      
        |  | federal employees. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.060.  CONFLICT OF INTEREST PROVISIONS.  (a) A | 
      
        |  | person may not be appointed adjutant general, a deputy adjutant | 
      
        |  | general, a general officer, judge advocate general, or executive | 
      
        |  | director if the person is required to register as a lobbyist under | 
      
        |  | Chapter 305 because of the person's activities for compensation on | 
      
        |  | behalf of a profession related to the operation of the department. | 
      
        |  | (b)  An officer, employee, or paid consultant of a Texas | 
      
        |  | trade association in the field of defense or veterans affairs may | 
      
        |  | not be appointed adjutant general, a deputy adjutant general, a | 
      
        |  | general officer, judge advocate general, or executive director. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A person who is the spouse of an officer, manager, or | 
      
        |  | paid consultant of a Texas trade association in the field of defense | 
      
        |  | or veterans affairs may not be appointed adjutant general, a deputy | 
      
        |  | adjutant general, a general officer, judge advocate general, or | 
      
        |  | executive director. | 
      
        |  | (d)  For the purposes of this section, a Texas trade | 
      
        |  | association is a nonprofit, cooperative, and voluntarily joined | 
      
        |  | association in this state designed to assist its members and its | 
      
        |  | industry or profession in dealing with mutual business or | 
      
        |  | professional problems and in promoting their common interest. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.061.  REMOVAL PROVISIONS FOR ADJUTANT GENERAL.  (a) | 
      
        |  | It is a ground for removal that the adjutant general: | 
      
        |  | (1)  does not have at the time of appointment the | 
      
        |  | qualifications for service required by this chapter; | 
      
        |  | (2)  does not maintain the qualifications for service | 
      
        |  | required by this chapter; | 
      
        |  | (3)  does not obtain approval of the General Officer | 
      
        |  | Federal Recognition Board or its successor; | 
      
        |  | (4)  is found to have violated ethical standards of | 
      
        |  | conduct of the federal government, this state, or the department; | 
      
        |  | or | 
      
        |  | (5)  cannot discharge the duties required by this | 
      
        |  | chapter because of illness or disability. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The validity of an action of the adjutant general is not | 
      
        |  | affected by the fact that it is taken when a ground for removal | 
      
        |  | exists. | 
      
        |  | (c)  If a potential ground for removal exists, the deputy | 
      
        |  | adjutant general with the longest tenure in that position in the | 
      
        |  | department shall notify the governor that a potential ground for | 
      
        |  | removal exists. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.062.  SALARIES.  (a) The adjutant general is | 
      
        |  | entitled to a salary in the amount designated in the General | 
      
        |  | Appropriations Act. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A deputy adjutant general, general officer, or | 
      
        |  | executive director employed under this chapter is entitled to a | 
      
        |  | salary subject to the classification and salary schedule provisions | 
      
        |  | defined in the General Appropriations Act. | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER C. TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.101.  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.  (a) The executive | 
      
        |  | director is an employee of the department and serves at the pleasure | 
      
        |  | of the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Subject to Sections 437.052 and 437.054, the executive | 
      
        |  | director may enter into contracts related to the purposes or duties | 
      
        |  | of the department and may have and use a corporate seal. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The executive director is responsible for the daily | 
      
        |  | administration of the department and the operational compliance | 
      
        |  | with the cooperative agreements between the department and the | 
      
        |  | National Guard Bureau. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.102.  DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL.  (a)  The adjutant | 
      
        |  | general may hire employees as necessary to carry on the operations | 
      
        |  | of the department. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The executive director or the executive director's | 
      
        |  | designee shall provide to the adjutant general and to department | 
      
        |  | employees, as often as necessary, information regarding the | 
      
        |  | requirements for office or employment under this chapter, including | 
      
        |  | information regarding a person's responsibilities under applicable | 
      
        |  | laws relating to standards of conduct for state officers or | 
      
        |  | employees. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.103.  STATE GUARD ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL.  (a) | 
      
        |  | Except as provided by Subsection (b), to be eligible to hold a | 
      
        |  | position relating to the daily operations and coordination of the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard, an employee must maintain membership in the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard. | 
      
        |  | (b)  For good cause, the adjutant general may exempt a | 
      
        |  | position from the requirement under Subsection (a) by placing a | 
      
        |  | letter stating the reason for the exemption in the state human | 
      
        |  | resources files at the department. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.104.  CAREER LADDER PROGRAM; PERFORMANCE | 
      
        |  | EVALUATIONS. (a) The executive director shall develop a career | 
      
        |  | ladder program. The program must require intra-agency postings of | 
      
        |  | all non-entry level positions concurrently with any public posting. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The executive director shall develop a system of | 
      
        |  | employee performance evaluations. The system must require that | 
      
        |  | evaluations be conducted at least annually. All merit pay for | 
      
        |  | department employees must be based on the system established under | 
      
        |  | this subsection. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.105.  AUTHORITY TO MAKE DIFFERENTIAL PAYMENTS.  The | 
      
        |  | department may pay an employee additional compensation for duty | 
      
        |  | hours other than Monday through Friday normal business hours or for | 
      
        |  | the ability to legally carry weapons. The department by rule shall | 
      
        |  | establish the classification, procedures, and amount of the | 
      
        |  | additional compensation.  The department may make differential | 
      
        |  | payments only if money is available to pay those amounts. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.106.  HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OF RECORDS AND | 
      
        |  | PROPERTY.  Except as provided by other law and in accordance with | 
      
        |  | all applicable federal and state requirements, the department shall | 
      
        |  | preserve all historically significant military records or property | 
      
        |  | in a military museum in this state. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.107.  REPORTS.  (a) The department annually shall | 
      
        |  | submit to the governor and the presiding officer of each house of | 
      
        |  | the legislature a complete and detailed written report accounting | 
      
        |  | for all funds received and disbursed by the department during the | 
      
        |  | preceding fiscal year. The report must be in the form and reported | 
      
        |  | in the time provided by the General Appropriations Act. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department shall provide to the governor in December | 
      
        |  | of each even-numbered year: | 
      
        |  | (1)  an account of all arms, ammunition, and other | 
      
        |  | military property owned by or in possession of this state and its | 
      
        |  | present condition; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a statement of the number, condition, and | 
      
        |  | organization of the Texas military forces; | 
      
        |  | (3)  suggestions important to the military interests | 
      
        |  | and conditions of this state; | 
      
        |  | (4)  a list and description of all Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces missions that are in progress; and | 
      
        |  | (5)  a statement of department plans to obtain and | 
      
        |  | maintain future Texas National Guard missions, including proposed | 
      
        |  | missions that are consistent with the United States Department of | 
      
        |  | Defense's strategies. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Information relating to any current, proposed, or | 
      
        |  | planned mission that the adjutant general considers to be | 
      
        |  | classified or sensitive in nature is exempt from the reporting | 
      
        |  | requirement of Subsection (b). | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.108.  TECHNOLOGY POLICY.  The department shall | 
      
        |  | develop and implement a policy requiring the executive director and | 
      
        |  | department's employees to research and propose appropriate | 
      
        |  | technological solutions to improve the department's ability to | 
      
        |  | perform its functions.  The technological solutions must: | 
      
        |  | (1)  ensure that the public is able to easily find | 
      
        |  | information about the department on the Internet; | 
      
        |  | (2)  ensure that persons who want to use the | 
      
        |  | department's services are able to: | 
      
        |  | (A)  interact with the department through the | 
      
        |  | Internet; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  access any service that can be provided | 
      
        |  | effectively through the Internet; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  be cost-effective and developed through the | 
      
        |  | department's planning processes. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.109.  EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN STATE ACTIVITIES.  (a) | 
      
        |  | The department is exempt from the provisions of Chapter 2054 | 
      
        |  | relating to the oversight of information resources and information | 
      
        |  | resource manager provisions to the extent the National Guard Bureau | 
      
        |  | and the Department of Defense provide information technology and | 
      
        |  | communications support to the department. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department is exempt from the review and oversight | 
      
        |  | of the State Office of Risk Management as prescribed by Chapter 412, | 
      
        |  | Labor Code, to the extent the covered programs are federally | 
      
        |  | managed and the cost is reimbursed to this state by the National | 
      
        |  | Guard Bureau. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Notwithstanding any other law, a service member | 
      
        |  | considered to be a temporary state employee is not considered to be | 
      
        |  | an employee of the department for the purpose of counting the number | 
      
        |  | of full-time equivalent positions authorized for the department in | 
      
        |  | the General Appropriations Act. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.110.  POST EXCHANGES ON STATE MILITARY PROPERTY. | 
      
        |  | (a)  The department may establish and contract for the operation of | 
      
        |  | not more than three military-type post exchanges similar to those | 
      
        |  | operated by the armed forces of the United States on any real | 
      
        |  | property under the management and control of the department.  A post | 
      
        |  | exchange may sell, lease, or rent goods and services, including | 
      
        |  | firearms, tobacco products, prepared foods, and beer and wine but | 
      
        |  | not distilled spirits.  The department may designate facilities | 
      
        |  | located on state property to use for purposes of this section. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The adjutant general shall adopt rules to govern post | 
      
        |  | exchanges established under this section that are similar to the | 
      
        |  | procedures, policies, and restrictions governing exchanges of the | 
      
        |  | Army and Air Force Exchange Service, including rules that require | 
      
        |  | an individual to show identification indicating the individual is | 
      
        |  | qualified to buy, lease, or rent goods at the post exchange. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The department shall contract with a person to operate a | 
      
        |  | post exchange created under this section. | 
      
        |  | (d)  A post exchange may sell, lease, or rent goods and | 
      
        |  | services only to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  active, retired, and reserve members of the United | 
      
        |  | States armed services; | 
      
        |  | (2)  active and retired members of the state military | 
      
        |  | forces; | 
      
        |  | (3)  full-time employees of the adjutant general's | 
      
        |  | department; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  dependents of an individual described by this | 
      
        |  | subsection. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The post exchange services account is a unit fund under | 
      
        |  | Section 437.211.  For purposes of Section 437.211, the commander is | 
      
        |  | the installation commander. The post exchange services account is | 
      
        |  | exempt from the application of Sections 403.095 and 404.071.  The | 
      
        |  | account consists of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  money received from the operation of post | 
      
        |  | exchanges created under this section; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  all interest attributable to money held in the | 
      
        |  | account. | 
      
        |  | (f)  A post exchange created under this section may sell | 
      
        |  | goods and services, including beer and wine but not distilled | 
      
        |  | spirits, for off-premises consumption if the operator of the | 
      
        |  | exchange holds the appropriate license or permit issued by the | 
      
        |  | Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.  The licensee or permittee | 
      
        |  | shall comply in all respects with the Alcoholic Beverage Code and | 
      
        |  | the rules of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. | 
      
        |  | (g)  Chapter 94, Human Resources Code, does not apply to | 
      
        |  | vending facilities operated at a post exchange. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.111.  DONATIONS.  (a) Except as provided by | 
      
        |  | Subsections (d) and (e), all money paid to the department under this | 
      
        |  | chapter is subject to Subchapter F, Chapter 404. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department may accept funds, property, or services | 
      
        |  | donated by any public or private entity, including: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a state agency or department; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a political subdivision, including a county, | 
      
        |  | municipality, or public school district; or | 
      
        |  | (3)  a special purpose district or authority. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, or | 
      
        |  | donations from any private or public entity to support the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces or the Texas Military Forces Museum and may spend | 
      
        |  | the proceeds consistent with donor limitations and for the use of | 
      
        |  | the Texas military forces, the museum, or the department. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The department may accept a donation or transfer of | 
      
        |  | funds from the federal government directly or through another | 
      
        |  | agency or from an agency or political subdivision of this state. | 
      
        |  | The funds shall be deposited with the comptroller. The funds may be | 
      
        |  | used for the legal purposes of the department as provided in the | 
      
        |  | donation or transfer.  The comptroller shall make payments from the | 
      
        |  | funds on a properly drawn warrant issued by the comptroller on | 
      
        |  | request of the adjutant general and approval of the governor under | 
      
        |  | rules adopted by the comptroller. | 
      
        |  | (e)  A unit may accept funds for the benefit of a particular | 
      
        |  | military unit in a unit fund as prescribed in Section 437.211. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.112.  INFORMATION OF INTEREST; COMPLAINTS. (a) The | 
      
        |  | department shall prepare information of public interest describing | 
      
        |  | the functions of the department and the procedures by which | 
      
        |  | complaints are filed with and resolved by the department. The | 
      
        |  | department shall make the information available to the public and | 
      
        |  | appropriate state agencies. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The adjutant general by rule shall establish methods by | 
      
        |  | which the public and members of the Texas National Guard are | 
      
        |  | notified of the name, mailing address, and telephone number of the | 
      
        |  | department for the purpose of directing complaints to the | 
      
        |  | department. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The department shall maintain a file on each written | 
      
        |  | complaint filed with the department.  The file must include: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the name of the person who filed the complaint; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the date the complaint is received by the | 
      
        |  | department; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the subject matter of the complaint; | 
      
        |  | (4)  the name of each person contacted in connection | 
      
        |  | with the complaint; | 
      
        |  | (5)  a summary of the results of the review or | 
      
        |  | investigation of the complaint; and | 
      
        |  | (6)  an explanation of the reason the file was closed, | 
      
        |  | if the department closed the file without taking action other than | 
      
        |  | to investigate the complaint. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The department shall provide to the person filing the | 
      
        |  | complaint and to each person who is the subject of the complaint a | 
      
        |  | copy of the department's policies and procedures relating to | 
      
        |  | complaint investigation and resolution unless the notice would | 
      
        |  | jeopardize an undercover investigation. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The department, at least quarterly until final | 
      
        |  | disposition of the complaint, shall notify the person filing the | 
      
        |  | complaint and each person who is the subject of the complaint of the | 
      
        |  | status of the investigation unless the notice would jeopardize an | 
      
        |  | undercover investigation. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.113.  ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES. | 
      
        |  | (a)  The department shall develop and implement a policy to | 
      
        |  | encourage the use of appropriate alternative dispute resolution | 
      
        |  | procedures under Chapter 2009 to assist in the resolution of | 
      
        |  | internal and external disputes within the department's | 
      
        |  | jurisdiction. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department's procedures relating to alternative | 
      
        |  | dispute resolution must conform, to the extent possible, to any | 
      
        |  | model guidelines issued by the State Office of Administrative | 
      
        |  | Hearings for the use of alternative dispute resolution by state | 
      
        |  | agencies. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The department shall designate a trained person to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  coordinate the implementation of the policy | 
      
        |  | adopted under Subsection (a); | 
      
        |  | (2)  serve as a resource for any training needed to | 
      
        |  | implement the procedures for negotiated rulemaking or alternative | 
      
        |  | dispute resolution; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  collect data concerning the effectiveness of those | 
      
        |  | procedures, as implemented by the department. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.114.  SUPPLIES.  (a) The department may purchase | 
      
        |  | from money appropriated to the department and keep ready for use, | 
      
        |  | store, or issue a necessary amount of ordnance, subsistence, | 
      
        |  | medical, signal, engineering, and other supplies. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department may dispose of or exchange supplies owned | 
      
        |  | by this state that are unfit for further use as the department | 
      
        |  | determines is in the best interest of the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The department shall provide each state military unit | 
      
        |  | with the arms, equipment, instruction and record books, and other | 
      
        |  | supplies necessary for performance of the duties required of the | 
      
        |  | unit by this chapter. The unit shall keep the property in proper | 
      
        |  | repair and good condition.  The department may execute bonds in the | 
      
        |  | name of this state as necessary to obtain this property. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.115.  BIDS.  The department shall adopt rules | 
      
        |  | governing the preparation, submission, and opening of bids for | 
      
        |  | contracts. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.116.  PROGRAM ACCESSIBILITY.  The department shall | 
      
        |  | comply with federal and state laws related to program | 
      
        |  | accessibility. The department shall also prepare and maintain a | 
      
        |  | written plan that describes how a person who does not speak English | 
      
        |  | can be provided reasonable access to the department's programs and | 
      
        |  | services. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.117.  TEXAS CHALLENGE ACADEMY.  (a) For each | 
      
        |  | student enrolled in the Texas ChalleNGe Academy, the department is | 
      
        |  | entitled to allotments from the Foundation School Program under | 
      
        |  | Chapter 42, Education Code, as if the academy were a school district | 
      
        |  | without a tier one local share for purposes of Section 42.253, | 
      
        |  | Education Code. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department shall contract with an appropriate | 
      
        |  | school district for the provision of educational services for | 
      
        |  | students enrolled in the academy.  The school district with which | 
      
        |  | the department contracts shall be responsible for ensuring | 
      
        |  | compliance with any applicable regulatory requirements imposed | 
      
        |  | under the Education Code and enforced by the commissioner of | 
      
        |  | education and the Texas Education Agency. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.118.  USE OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT MILITARY HOUSING AND | 
      
        |  | TRAINING.  (a) The department may use appropriated money to | 
      
        |  | purchase food and beverages for charged military housing and | 
      
        |  | training functions required of the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department shall maintain and operate charged | 
      
        |  | military housing in accordance with policies and rules adopted by | 
      
        |  | the adjutant general and published on the department's Internet | 
      
        |  | website.  The department shall deposit room fees in a billeting | 
      
        |  | account. | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER D. REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.151.  REAL PROPERTY ADVISORY COUNCIL.  (a) The real | 
      
        |  | property advisory council is composed of the following eight | 
      
        |  | members: | 
      
        |  | (1)  two deputy adjutants general; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the executive director; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  five public members who are not actively serving | 
      
        |  | in the Texas National Guard and who have experience in | 
      
        |  | architecture, construction management, engineering, property | 
      
        |  | management, facilities maintenance management, real estate | 
      
        |  | services, or real property law. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The public members of the advisory council are appointed | 
      
        |  | to staggered three-year terms by the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The adjutant general by rule shall specify the | 
      
        |  | requirements, term limits, and expectations for the advisory | 
      
        |  | council. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The adjutant general shall designate one of the public | 
      
        |  | members of the advisory council as the presiding officer of the | 
      
        |  | advisory council to serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The director of the department's facilities management | 
      
        |  | office is responsible for administration and coordination of | 
      
        |  | council meetings and preparation of materials with input from the | 
      
        |  | council membership. | 
      
        |  | (f)  The council shall meet at least two times each fiscal | 
      
        |  | year to advise the department on: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the facility master plan; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the long-range construction plan; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the selection of architecture and engineering | 
      
        |  | firms; | 
      
        |  | (4)  requests for bonding authority for state military | 
      
        |  | facilities; | 
      
        |  | (5)  the disposal or sale of department property; | 
      
        |  | (6)  surface leases of department property; | 
      
        |  | (7)  natural resources management plans; and | 
      
        |  | (8)  environmental studies and agreements. | 
      
        |  | (g)  Each public member of the advisory council is entitled | 
      
        |  | to a per diem as provided by the General Appropriations Act for each | 
      
        |  | day that the member engages in the business of the council. | 
      
        |  | (h)  Each member of the advisory council is entitled to | 
      
        |  | reimbursement for meals, lodging, transportation, and incidental | 
      
        |  | expenses: | 
      
        |  | (1)  under the rules for reimbursement that apply to | 
      
        |  | the member's office or employment, if the member is a state officer | 
      
        |  | or employee; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  as provided by the General Appropriations Act if | 
      
        |  | the member is not a state officer or employee. | 
      
        |  | (i)  The advisory council is not subject to Chapter 2110. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.152.  PUBLIC COMMENT.  The advisory council shall | 
      
        |  | develop and implement policies that provide the public with a | 
      
        |  | reasonable opportunity to at least annually appear before the | 
      
        |  | council and speak on any issue related to the construction, repair, | 
      
        |  | and maintenance of Texas military forces armories, facilities, and | 
      
        |  | improvements under the jurisdiction of the department. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.153.  BORROWING MONEY; ISSUING AND SELLING BONDS. | 
      
        |  | (a) The department may borrow money in the amount and under | 
      
        |  | circumstances allowed by the Texas Constitution and may request the | 
      
        |  | Texas Public Finance Authority, on behalf of the department, to | 
      
        |  | issue and sell fully negotiable bonds to acquire, construct, | 
      
        |  | remodel, repair, or equip one or more facilities. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The Texas Public Finance Authority may sell the bonds in | 
      
        |  | any manner it determines to be in the best interest of the | 
      
        |  | department, except that it may not sell a bond that has not been | 
      
        |  | approved by the attorney general and registered with the | 
      
        |  | comptroller. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.154.  REPORT OF MILITARY USE OF PROPERTY.  (a)  If | 
      
        |  | the department receives notice from the General Land Office as | 
      
        |  | provided by Section 31.156, Natural Resources Code, the department | 
      
        |  | shall produce a report evaluating the military use of any real | 
      
        |  | property under the management and control of the department. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Not later than August 1 of the year in which the | 
      
        |  | commissioner of the General Land Office submits a report as | 
      
        |  | provided by Section 31.157, Natural Resources Code, the department | 
      
        |  | shall submit a preliminary report of the report required under | 
      
        |  | Subsection (a) to the commissioner of the General Land Office | 
      
        |  | identifying the real property used for military purposes. Not later | 
      
        |  | than September 1 of the year in which the commissioner of the | 
      
        |  | General Land Office submits a report as provided by Section 31.157, | 
      
        |  | Natural Resources Code, the department shall submit the final | 
      
        |  | report as required by Subsection (a) to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the governor; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the presiding officer of each house of the | 
      
        |  | legislature; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the Legislative Budget Board; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  the governor's budget office. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.155.  ACQUISITION; MANAGEMENT; PLEDGE OF RENTS, | 
      
        |  | ISSUES, AND PROFITS. (a) The department by gift, lease, or purchase | 
      
        |  | may acquire real property, including leasehold estates in real | 
      
        |  | property, for any purpose the department considers necessary for | 
      
        |  | the use of the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department may acquire furniture and equipment | 
      
        |  | suitable for facility purposes by gift, purchase, or construction. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The department may: | 
      
        |  | (1)  hold, manage, or maintain the property; | 
      
        |  | (2)  after the analysis required under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.163(b), if applicable, lease or sell the property; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  pledge all or part of the rents, issues, and | 
      
        |  | profits of the property. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The department may own and operate or contract with a | 
      
        |  | vendor to provide temporary lodging facilities for use of military | 
      
        |  | and retired military personnel.  The department shall publish | 
      
        |  | information on the department's Internet website outlining the | 
      
        |  | operation, use, and fee structure for temporary lodging facilities. | 
      
        |  | Out of the money received for operating the temporary lodging | 
      
        |  | facilities, the department may procure the necessary furnishings, | 
      
        |  | goods, and services to manage and operate the temporary lodging | 
      
        |  | facilities. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The adjutant general, assistant deputy adjutant general | 
      
        |  | for the air, and assistant deputy adjutant general for the army may | 
      
        |  | reside in state-owned housing and are exempt from paying housing | 
      
        |  | costs.  The department may allocate existing department housing to | 
      
        |  | other department employees who demonstrate a need based on location | 
      
        |  | and job description at a rate in accordance with the General | 
      
        |  | Appropriations Act. | 
      
        |  | (f)  The department shall deposit proceeds from any land | 
      
        |  | lease or other revenue under this section, other than daily fee | 
      
        |  | deposits that qualify as unit funds, into the state treasury to the | 
      
        |  | credit of the department for the use and benefit of the facilities | 
      
        |  | of the Texas military forces. If any part of these funds remains | 
      
        |  | unexpended and unobligated at the end of the state fiscal year, that | 
      
        |  | amount is dedicated for the same purposes in the subsequent year. | 
      
        |  | Money in the fund may not be diverted for any other purpose. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.156.  CONSTRUCTION; FURNISHING AND EQUIPMENT. (a) | 
      
        |  | The department may construct buildings on real property held by the | 
      
        |  | department in fee simple or otherwise. The department may furnish | 
      
        |  | and equip the buildings. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department may construct a building on land | 
      
        |  | comprising a site licensed or otherwise provided to this state by | 
      
        |  | the federal government. If the department constructs a building on | 
      
        |  | that site, the site becomes the property of the department for all | 
      
        |  | purposes of this chapter as if the site had been acquired by gift to | 
      
        |  | or purchase by the department. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Department buildings that are constructed or undergoing | 
      
        |  | major renovations must include information distribution system | 
      
        |  | provisions in the contract. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.157.  LEASE OF PROPERTY.  (a)  In this section, | 
      
        |  | "lease" includes a sublease. | 
      
        |  | (b)  After the analysis required under Section 437.163(b), | 
      
        |  | if applicable, the department may lease property to any person. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The law requiring notice and competitive bids does not | 
      
        |  | apply to a lease under this section. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.158.  TRANSFER TO STATE.  When property that the | 
      
        |  | Texas Public Finance Authority owns in accordance with Section | 
      
        |  | 437.159 is fully paid for and free of liens and all obligations | 
      
        |  | incurred in connection with the acquisition and construction of the | 
      
        |  | property have been fully paid, the Texas Public Finance Authority | 
      
        |  | shall donate and transfer the property to the department by | 
      
        |  | appropriate instruments of transfer. The instruments of transfer | 
      
        |  | shall be kept in the custody of the department. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.159.  PROPERTY FINANCED BY BONDS.  Notwithstanding | 
      
        |  | any other provision of this chapter, property used by this state for | 
      
        |  | military purposes that was acquired, constructed, remodeled, or | 
      
        |  | repaired using money from bonds and that has not yet been | 
      
        |  | transferred under Section 437.158 is owned by the Texas Public | 
      
        |  | Finance Authority and a reference to the department in this chapter | 
      
        |  | in relation to that ownership means the Texas Public Finance | 
      
        |  | Authority until the property is transferred. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.160.  DONATION OF PROPERTY.  The governing body of a | 
      
        |  | county or municipality, on behalf of the county or municipality, | 
      
        |  | may donate real property to the department for use as a Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces facility.  The donation may be in fee simple or | 
      
        |  | otherwise. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.161.  TAX STATUS OF PROPERTY.  Property held by the | 
      
        |  | department and rents, issues, and profits from the property are | 
      
        |  | exempt from taxation by the state, a municipality, a county or other | 
      
        |  | political subdivision, or a taxing district of this state. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.162.  FACILITY ACCESSIBILITY.  The department for | 
      
        |  | new facility construction shall comply with federal and state laws | 
      
        |  | related to facility accessibility. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.163.  DISPOSAL OF CERTAIN SURPLUS REAL PROPERTY. | 
      
        |  | (a) When department property that is owned or transferred to this | 
      
        |  | state is fully paid for and free of liens incurred in connection | 
      
        |  | with the acquisition and construction of the property, the | 
      
        |  | department may, after conducting the analysis required under this | 
      
        |  | section, if applicable,  properly dispose of the property that is | 
      
        |  | designated by the adjutant general as surplus. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Before granting or conveying an interest in real | 
      
        |  | property under this subchapter, the department must conduct an | 
      
        |  | analysis to determine whether the disposal of property is in the | 
      
        |  | best interests of the Texas military forces and evaluate whether | 
      
        |  | each unit of the Texas military forces has adequate facility space | 
      
        |  | to ensure that ongoing operations are maintained. | 
      
        |  | (c)  To accomplish the purposes of Subsection (a), the | 
      
        |  | department may remove, dismantle, or sever any of the property or | 
      
        |  | authorize its removal, dismantling, or severance. | 
      
        |  | (d)  If property under this section is designated as surplus, | 
      
        |  | the department may sell the property to the highest and best bidder | 
      
        |  | for cash using either sealed bid or public auction. The department | 
      
        |  | may reject any or all bids. If the site is considered historical, | 
      
        |  | the department may evaluate other factors relating to ensuring the | 
      
        |  | long-term care of the site when selecting the winning bidder. | 
      
        |  | (e)  If property under this section is designated for | 
      
        |  | exchange, the department may exchange the property for one or more | 
      
        |  | parcels of land equal to or exceeding the value of the property to | 
      
        |  | be exchanged. | 
      
        |  | (f)  A sale, deed, or exchange made under this section must | 
      
        |  | reserve to this state a one-sixteenth mineral interest free of cost | 
      
        |  | of production. | 
      
        |  | (g)  The department may: | 
      
        |  | (1)  reconvey to the original grantor or donor all | 
      
        |  | rights, title, and interests, including mineral interests, to all | 
      
        |  | or part of the land conveyed by that person; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  convey to the original grantor or donor, on a | 
      
        |  | negotiated basis at fair market value, improvements constructed on | 
      
        |  | the land reconveyed. | 
      
        |  | (h)  The department shall deposit proceeds of sales under | 
      
        |  | this section in the state treasury to the credit of the department | 
      
        |  | for the use and benefit of the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER E. TEXAS MILITARY FORCES | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.201.  CERTIFICATION OF MILITARY UNITS.  The | 
      
        |  | adjutant general shall issue each unit a certificate stating that | 
      
        |  | the unit has been duly organized according to the laws and rules of | 
      
        |  | the Texas military forces and is entitled to the rights, powers, | 
      
        |  | privileges, amenities, and immunities conferred by law and military | 
      
        |  | regulation. The certificate is evidence in a state court that the | 
      
        |  | unit is duly incorporated. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.202.  LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS AND | 
      
        |  | EMPLOYEES.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), a | 
      
        |  | person who is an officer or employee of this state, a municipality, | 
      
        |  | a county, or another political subdivision of this state and who is | 
      
        |  | a member of the Texas military forces, a reserve component of the | 
      
        |  | armed forces, or a member of a state or federally authorized urban | 
      
        |  | search and rescue team is entitled to a paid leave of absence from | 
      
        |  | the person's duties on a day on which the person is engaged in | 
      
        |  | authorized training or duty ordered or authorized by proper | 
      
        |  | authority for not more than 15 workdays in a federal fiscal year. | 
      
        |  | During a leave of absence, the person may not be subjected to loss | 
      
        |  | of time, efficiency rating, personal time, sick leave, or vacation | 
      
        |  | time. | 
      
        |  | (b)  An officer or employee of this state is entitled to | 
      
        |  | carry forward from one federal fiscal year to the next the net | 
      
        |  | balance of unused accumulated leave under Subsection (a) that does | 
      
        |  | not exceed 45 workdays. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A member of the legislature is entitled to pay for all | 
      
        |  | days that the member is absent from a session of the legislature and | 
      
        |  | engaged in training or duty as provided by Subsection (a). | 
      
        |  | (d)  A state employee who is a member of the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces, a reserve component of the armed forces, or a member of a | 
      
        |  | state or federally authorized urban search and rescue team and who | 
      
        |  | is ordered to duty by proper authority is entitled, when relieved | 
      
        |  | from duty, to be restored to the position that the employee held | 
      
        |  | when ordered to duty. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.203.  DUAL OFFICE HOLDING.  A position in or | 
      
        |  | membership in the Texas military forces is not considered to be a | 
      
        |  | civil office of emolument. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.204.  REEMPLOYMENT OF SERVICE MEMBER CALLED TO | 
      
        |  | TRAINING OR DUTY.  (a)  An employer may not terminate the employment | 
      
        |  | of an employee who is a member of the state military forces of this | 
      
        |  | state or any other state because the employee is ordered to | 
      
        |  | authorized training or duty by a proper authority.  The employee is | 
      
        |  | entitled to return to the same employment held when ordered to | 
      
        |  | training or duty and may not be subjected to loss of time, | 
      
        |  | efficiency rating, vacation time, or any benefit of employment | 
      
        |  | during or because of the absence.  The employee, as soon as | 
      
        |  | practicable after release from duty, must give written or actual | 
      
        |  | notice of intent to return to employment. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A violation of this section is an unlawful employment | 
      
        |  | practice.  A person injured by a violation of this section may file | 
      
        |  | a complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission civil rights | 
      
        |  | division under Subchapter J. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.205.  OATH.  (a)  A commissioned officer of the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces may administer oaths for purposes of military | 
      
        |  | administration. The officer's signature, without seal, and the | 
      
        |  | title of the officer's assignment is prima facie evidence of the | 
      
        |  | officer's authority. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A person appointed, enlisted, or drafted in the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces shall take and subscribe an oath prescribed by the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.206.  COMMISSIONS.  (a) An initial state commission | 
      
        |  | in the Texas military forces must be: | 
      
        |  | (1)  in the name and by authority of this state; | 
      
        |  | (2)  sealed with the state seal; | 
      
        |  | (3)  signed by the governor and attested by the | 
      
        |  | secretary of state; | 
      
        |  | (4)  recorded by the Texas military forces;  and | 
      
        |  | (5)  conferred without fee. | 
      
        |  | (b)  On the recommendation of the commanding officer or | 
      
        |  | noncommissioned officer of the Texas military forces, the governor | 
      
        |  | may confer on the officer or noncommissioned officer a brevet of a | 
      
        |  | grade higher than the ordinary commission or brevet held by the | 
      
        |  | officer or noncommissioned officer for gallant conduct or | 
      
        |  | meritorious military service.  The adjutant general shall specify | 
      
        |  | the criteria for gallant conduct or meritorious military service. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The governor may confer on an officer in active service | 
      
        |  | in the Texas military forces who has previously served in the forces | 
      
        |  | of the United States during a war a brevet of a grade equal to the | 
      
        |  | highest grade in which the officer previously served. | 
      
        |  | (d)  A commission under Subsection (b) or (c) carries only | 
      
        |  | the privileges or rights allowed for similar commissions in the | 
      
        |  | military service of the United States. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The governor, without examination, may appoint and | 
      
        |  | confer a brevet of second lieutenant on an enlisted service member | 
      
        |  | who has served well and faithfully in the Texas military forces for | 
      
        |  | 25 years or more.  The service member shall immediately be placed on | 
      
        |  | the retired list. | 
      
        |  | (f)  The governor may delegate the powers granted by this | 
      
        |  | section to the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.207.  MILITARY UNIT AS CORPORATE BODY.  (a)  A | 
      
        |  | military unit in the Texas military forces is, from the time of its | 
      
        |  | creation, a body politic and corporate and may: | 
      
        |  | (1)  take, purchase, own, hold, transfer, pledge, and | 
      
        |  | convey under its corporate name property of a total value, when | 
      
        |  | acquired, of not more than $200,000; | 
      
        |  | (2)  sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, and | 
      
        |  | prosecute and defend in court under its corporate name; | 
      
        |  | (3)  have and use a common seal in a form it adopts; | 
      
        |  | (4)  adopt bylaws to govern and regulate its affairs, | 
      
        |  | consistent with state law and United States law and the orders and | 
      
        |  | rules of the governor; and | 
      
        |  | (5)  otherwise act as necessary and proper to carry out | 
      
        |  | its purpose. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The officers of the unit or, if there are no officers in | 
      
        |  | the unit, the noncommissioned officers are its directors.  The | 
      
        |  | senior officer is its president. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The power of a unit to hold or handle property is not | 
      
        |  | affected by a natural increase in the property's value after it is | 
      
        |  | acquired. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.208.  ORGANIZATION PROHIBITED.  (a)  Except as | 
      
        |  | provided by Subsection (b), a body of persons other than the | 
      
        |  | regularly organized Texas military forces, the armed forces of the | 
      
        |  | United States, or the active militia of another state may not | 
      
        |  | associate as a military company or organization or parade in public | 
      
        |  | with firearms in a municipality of the state. | 
      
        |  | (b)  With the consent of the governor, students in an | 
      
        |  | educational institution at which military science is a prescribed | 
      
        |  | part of the course of instruction may drill and perform ceremonies | 
      
        |  | with firearms in public.  The governor may delegate the powers | 
      
        |  | granted by this subsection to the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.209.  FOREIGN TROOPS.  A military force from | 
      
        |  | another state, territory, or district, except a force that is on | 
      
        |  | federal orders and acting as a part of the United States armed | 
      
        |  | forces, may not enter this state without the permission of the | 
      
        |  | governor.  The governor may delegate the powers granted by this | 
      
        |  | section to the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.210.  INTERFERENCE WITH TEXAS MILITARY FORCES.  (a) | 
      
        |  | A person commits an offense if the person physically and | 
      
        |  | intentionally hinders, delays, or obstructs or intentionally | 
      
        |  | attempts to hinder, delay, or obstruct a portion of the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces on active duty in performance of a military duty. | 
      
        |  | (b)  An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class B | 
      
        |  | misdemeanor. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The commanding officer of a portion of the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces parading or performing a military duty in a street | 
      
        |  | or highway may require a person in the street or highway to yield | 
      
        |  | the right-of-way to the forces, except that the commanding officer | 
      
        |  | may not interfere with the carrying of the United States mail, a | 
      
        |  | legitimate function of the police, or the progress or operation of | 
      
        |  | an emergency medical services provider or fire department. | 
      
        |  | (d)  During an occasion of duty, a commanding officer may | 
      
        |  | detain a person who: | 
      
        |  | (1)  trespasses on a place of duty; | 
      
        |  | (2)  interrupts or molests the orderly discharge of | 
      
        |  | duty by those under orders; or | 
      
        |  | (3)  disturbs or prevents the passage of troops going | 
      
        |  | to or coming from duty. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The commanding officer shall make a reasonable effort to | 
      
        |  | forward detained individuals to civil authorities as soon as | 
      
        |  | practicable. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.211.  MANAGEMENT OF UNIT FUNDS.  (a) The commanding | 
      
        |  | officer of each unit is the custodian of the unit fund. The | 
      
        |  | commanding officer shall: | 
      
        |  | (1)  receive, keep, properly disburse, and document the | 
      
        |  | use of the money in the fund; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  submit to the department an itemized statement of | 
      
        |  | money received and disbursed during the preceding reporting period: | 
      
        |  | (A)  on September 1 of each year; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  when there is a change of the commanding | 
      
        |  | officer of the unit. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The unit fund consists of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  donations made to the fund; | 
      
        |  | (2)  rental income from state facilities under the | 
      
        |  | management of the unit that are leased for less than three days; | 
      
        |  | (3)  revenue received from the sale of goods or | 
      
        |  | services to members of the unit and visitors; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  depository interest and investment income earned | 
      
        |  | on amounts in the fund. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A unit fund is a special fund held outside the state | 
      
        |  | treasury to be administered by the commanding officer of the unit | 
      
        |  | without further appropriation. A unit fund is not subject to | 
      
        |  | Chapter 2256. The department shall develop policies and procedures | 
      
        |  | concerning the administration of the funds. If any part of the fund | 
      
        |  | remains unexpended and unobligated at the end of the state fiscal | 
      
        |  | year, that amount is dedicated for the same purposes in the | 
      
        |  | subsequent year. Money in the fund may not be diverted for any other | 
      
        |  | purpose. | 
      
        |  | (d)  Chapter 94, Human Resources Code, does not apply to | 
      
        |  | vending facilities operated for the benefit of a unit fund. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.212.  PAY AND BENEFITS FOR STATE ACTIVE DUTY, STATE | 
      
        |  | TRAINING, AND OTHER DUTY.  (a) This state may make suitable | 
      
        |  | provision for the pay, transportation, subsistence, and housing of | 
      
        |  | service members on state active duty or state training and other | 
      
        |  | duty as necessary to accomplish the mission. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Pay and benefits received by service members of the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces under this chapter are not a gratuity, but are | 
      
        |  | compensation for services provided as a condition of membership in | 
      
        |  | the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Service members who are state employees when called by | 
      
        |  | proper authority into a state active duty status or for state | 
      
        |  | training and other duty status are entitled to the regular benefits | 
      
        |  | provided by the employing agency and a paid leave of absence as | 
      
        |  | provided by Section 437.202. | 
      
        |  | (d)  A service member who is not a state employee when called | 
      
        |  | by proper authority into a state active duty status or state | 
      
        |  | training and other duty status becomes a temporary state employee | 
      
        |  | when in this status and is limited to the benefits specified in this | 
      
        |  | chapter. A temporary state employee status does not apply to a | 
      
        |  | service member who is a federal civil servant or on active guard | 
      
        |  | reserve status, including a member serving on orders issued under | 
      
        |  | Title 10 or 32, United States Code. | 
      
        |  | (e)  A service member compensated under this section is | 
      
        |  | eligible for state workers' compensation coverage under Chapter | 
      
        |  | 501, Labor Code. | 
      
        |  | (f)  A volunteer in the Texas State Guard who is not a | 
      
        |  | full-time or part-time state employee and who has been on state | 
      
        |  | active duty or on state training or other duty for more than 90 days | 
      
        |  | is eligible to participate in the state group benefits program | 
      
        |  | under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, to purchase health or dental | 
      
        |  | insurance coverage, subject to the following requirements: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the participant must be a member of the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard at the time of enrollment in the group benefits program; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the participant must pay the full cost of health or | 
      
        |  | dental insurance coverage under the group benefits program and may | 
      
        |  | not receive a state contribution for premiums; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  an application under this subsection for group | 
      
        |  | benefit health or dental insurance coverage must be submitted in | 
      
        |  | accordance with procedures established by the Employees Retirement | 
      
        |  | System of Texas. | 
      
        |  | (g)  The adjutant general and the Employees Retirement | 
      
        |  | System of Texas shall coordinate and consult to implement the | 
      
        |  | benefits program provided by Subsection (f) and shall adopt a | 
      
        |  | memorandum of understanding to establish: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the procedures that a member of the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard may use to elect to participate in the state group benefits | 
      
        |  | program; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  an appropriate method to annually confirm | 
      
        |  | continuing eligibility to participate in the group benefits | 
      
        |  | program. | 
      
        |  | (h)  A service member who is on active guard reserve status, | 
      
        |  | including a member serving on orders issued under Title 10 or 32, | 
      
        |  | United States Code, may not receive state active duty pay or state | 
      
        |  | training and other duty pay. | 
      
        |  | (i)  A service member who is a federal technician in a paid | 
      
        |  | status may not receive state active duty pay or pay for state | 
      
        |  | training and other duty unless the member is on a military leave or | 
      
        |  | leave without pay status from the federal employment. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.213.  CERTAIN BENEFITS AND PROTECTIONS FOR STATE | 
      
        |  | SERVICE.  A service member of the Texas military forces who is | 
      
        |  | ordered to state active duty or to state training and other duty by | 
      
        |  | the governor, the adjutant general, or another proper authority | 
      
        |  | under the law of this state is entitled to the same benefits and | 
      
        |  | protections provided to persons: | 
      
        |  | (1)  performing service in the uniformed services as | 
      
        |  | provided by 38 U.S.C. Sections 4301-4373 and 4376-4379, as that law | 
      
        |  | existed on April 1, 2003; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  in the military service of the United States as | 
      
        |  | provided by 50 App. U.S.C. Sections 501-536, 560, and 580-594, as | 
      
        |  | that law existed on April 1, 2003. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.214.  MILITARY FUNERALS AND HONORS.  (a) On the | 
      
        |  | request of a person listed in Subsection (b), the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces may provide a military funeral and honor service for a | 
      
        |  | decedent who served in the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The following persons may request a military funeral and | 
      
        |  | honor service from the Texas military forces: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the decedent's spouse; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the decedent's adult children, if there is no | 
      
        |  | spouse; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the decedent's parents, if there is no spouse or | 
      
        |  | adult child; | 
      
        |  | (4)  the decedent's brothers or sisters, if there is no | 
      
        |  | spouse, adult child, or parent; or | 
      
        |  | (5)  the executor or administrator of the decedent's | 
      
        |  | estate, if there is no spouse, adult child, parent, or brother or | 
      
        |  | sister. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A service member is not eligible for a military funeral | 
      
        |  | and honor service under this section if the service member is | 
      
        |  | eligible for a military funeral and honor service under federal | 
      
        |  | law. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The Texas military forces shall model the military | 
      
        |  | funeral and honor service after the service provided by the federal | 
      
        |  | government. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.215.  GRAVE MARKERS FOR STATE MILITARY PERSONNEL. | 
      
        |  | (a) On the request of a person listed in Subsection (b), the | 
      
        |  | department shall provide a grave marker for a decedent who served in | 
      
        |  | the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The grave marker may be requested from the department by | 
      
        |  | a person described by Section 437.214(b). | 
      
        |  | (c)  A service member is not eligible for a grave marker | 
      
        |  | under this section if the service member is eligible for a grave | 
      
        |  | marker under federal law. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The department shall model the grave markers after the | 
      
        |  | grave markers provided by the federal government. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The department shall publish information about its | 
      
        |  | grave marker program on the department's Internet website. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.216.  SERVICE REFERRAL PROGRAM.  (a) The department | 
      
        |  | shall develop a program to provide referrals to service members for | 
      
        |  | reintegration services. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The program shall: | 
      
        |  | (1)  identify and make referrals to community-based | 
      
        |  | organizations that have existing programs that provide | 
      
        |  | reintegration services to service members and their families; | 
      
        |  | (2)  focus on early intervention and appropriate | 
      
        |  | referral to promote the health of service members and the children | 
      
        |  | and other family members of the service members; | 
      
        |  | (3)  promote family cohesion and sustainability; | 
      
        |  | (4)  be based on evidence-based best practices related | 
      
        |  | to meeting the needs of service members and the children and other | 
      
        |  | family members of the service members; | 
      
        |  | (5)  be provided, when appropriate, in a community | 
      
        |  | setting through peer counseling and other means effective for | 
      
        |  | community outreach; | 
      
        |  | (6)  use existing service delivery facilities, | 
      
        |  | including churches, National Guard Bureau family education | 
      
        |  | facilities, and veterans centers and support facilities; | 
      
        |  | (7)  use community-based and faith-based | 
      
        |  | organizations; | 
      
        |  | (8)  be developed and administered in a manner that | 
      
        |  | promotes collaboration of service providers and results in the | 
      
        |  | referral of service members, their children, and other family | 
      
        |  | members to the appropriate federal, state, and community services | 
      
        |  | for which they are eligible; and | 
      
        |  | (9)  provide information and referral services | 
      
        |  | regarding the risks and consequences of trauma, including | 
      
        |  | post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other | 
      
        |  | conditions for which service members are at risk. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The department shall ensure that: | 
      
        |  | (1)  each person who provides referrals to service | 
      
        |  | members under the referral program has received sufficient training | 
      
        |  | to ensure that service members receive accurate information; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  service members are notified in a timely manner | 
      
        |  | about the service referral program. | 
      
        |  | (d)  In developing the referral program, the department | 
      
        |  | shall consult with the National Guard Bureau, the United States | 
      
        |  | Veterans Health Administration, the Texas A&M Health Science Center | 
      
        |  | College of Medicine, and The University of Texas Health Science | 
      
        |  | Center at San Antonio. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.217.  EXEMPTION FROM FEES FOR DEPLOYED MILITARY | 
      
        |  | PERSONNEL.  (a)  A member of the National Guard on federal active | 
      
        |  | duty, or a member of the armed forces of the United States on active | 
      
        |  | duty, who is preparing to be deployed to serve in a hostile fire | 
      
        |  | zone as designated by the United States secretary of defense is | 
      
        |  | exempt from paying the following state or local governmental fees | 
      
        |  | the member incurs because of the deployment to arrange the member's | 
      
        |  | personal affairs: | 
      
        |  | (1)  fees for obtaining copies of: | 
      
        |  | (A)  a birth certificate; | 
      
        |  | (B)  a recorded marriage license; | 
      
        |  | (C)  a divorce decree; | 
      
        |  | (D)  a child support order; | 
      
        |  | (E)  guardianship documents; and | 
      
        |  | (F)  property tax records; | 
      
        |  | (2)  fees for issuing a marriage license or duplicate | 
      
        |  | marriage license; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  fees for transferring title to real or personal | 
      
        |  | property. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The governmental entity responsible for collecting a | 
      
        |  | fee described by Subsection (a) may rely on a letter issued by the | 
      
        |  | commander of the service member's unit for purposes of providing an | 
      
        |  | exemption under Subsection (a). | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.218.  TAX EXEMPTION.  (a) An officer or enlisted | 
      
        |  | service member in the Texas military forces who complies with the | 
      
        |  | service member's military duties as prescribed by this chapter is | 
      
        |  | exempt from payment of a road or street tax. | 
      
        |  | (b)  To obtain the exemption, a service member must file in | 
      
        |  | the county tax assessor-collector's office an affidavit, sworn to | 
      
        |  | before a notary public or other person authorized to administer | 
      
        |  | oaths in this state, in the following form: | 
      
        |  | "I, __________, do hereby solemnly swear or affirm that I am a | 
      
        |  | service member in good standing of the Texas military forces of the | 
      
        |  | State of Texas. | 
      
        |  | Subscribed to and sworn to before me this ______ day of | 
      
        |  | __________, ______ | 
      
        |  | SEAL | 
      
        |  | ________________________ | 
      
        |  | ________________________ | 
      
        |  | Notary Public in and for | 
      
        |  | __________ County, Texas" | 
      
        |  | (c)  The county tax assessor-collector may rely on a letter | 
      
        |  | issued by the commander of the service member's unit for purposes of | 
      
        |  | providing the exemption under this section. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.219.  COMPENSATION.  (a)  Except as provided by | 
      
        |  | Section 437.220, a member of the Texas military forces who performs | 
      
        |  | training or other military duty under authority of the United | 
      
        |  | States Code may not receive pay or allowances from this state for | 
      
        |  | that duty. | 
      
        |  | (b)  When orders are issued for state active duty or state | 
      
        |  | training or other duty, a National Guard service member of the Texas | 
      
        |  | military forces performing the duty or training is entitled, during | 
      
        |  | the period of the duty or training, to receive pay and allowances as | 
      
        |  | provided by law for the United States armed forces. Pay is a stipend | 
      
        |  | for duty or training and is salary or base pay. The pay may not be | 
      
        |  | reduced because of food, shelter, or transportation that this state | 
      
        |  | pays or furnishes in connection with the duty or training. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The adjutant general shall set the daily pay rate and | 
      
        |  | allowance rate for state active duty and for state training and | 
      
        |  | other duty for Texas State Guard service members called to duty or | 
      
        |  | training under this chapter. The rate established by the adjutant | 
      
        |  | general may not exceed the meal and lodging rate set by the | 
      
        |  | comptroller by more than $25 per day. The department shall publish | 
      
        |  | information about the established pay rates on the department's | 
      
        |  | Internet website. | 
      
        |  | (d)  Duty or training by volunteers in the Texas State Guard | 
      
        |  | without pay is considered for insurance and state coverage purposes | 
      
        |  | as if it were duty or training for pay. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.220.  SUPPLEMENTAL DUTY PAY FOR ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. | 
      
        |  | (a) A person who is called to military duty as a member of the Texas | 
      
        |  | National Guard in the service of this state or the United States by | 
      
        |  | proper federal or state authority and who suffers an economic | 
      
        |  | hardship as a result of serving on military duty is eligible to | 
      
        |  | receive supplemental pay for serving in accordance with this | 
      
        |  | section. Payment under this subsection is subject to the | 
      
        |  | availability of funds. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The comptroller shall establish the Texas National | 
      
        |  | Guard members' supplemental military duty pay account in the | 
      
        |  | general revenue fund. Money in the account may be appropriated only | 
      
        |  | for purposes of implementing this section. The comptroller, | 
      
        |  | governor, or adjutant general may accept gifts and grants for | 
      
        |  | deposit to the credit of the account. The legislature may transfer | 
      
        |  | money into the account or may appropriate money to implement this | 
      
        |  | section and the comptroller shall credit that money to the account. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A member of the Texas National Guard described by | 
      
        |  | Subsection (a) is eligible to receive supplemental pay under this | 
      
        |  | section in an amount not to exceed the lesser of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the amount required to alleviate the economic | 
      
        |  | hardship the member suffers as a result of serving on active duty; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (2)  the difference between the amount of income that | 
      
        |  | the member has lost from civilian employment as a result of being | 
      
        |  | called to military duty and the amount of military pay and | 
      
        |  | allowances the member receives from state or federal sources while | 
      
        |  | on military duty. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The adjutant general shall determine whether a member is | 
      
        |  | eligible to receive supplemental pay under this section and the | 
      
        |  | amount of supplemental pay a member may receive. In determining the | 
      
        |  | amount, the adjutant general shall consider the total amount that | 
      
        |  | is available for supplemental pay during a period and the probable | 
      
        |  | total need for supplemental pay during that period. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The adjutant general may adopt rules to implement this | 
      
        |  | section, including rules that prescribe the procedure for | 
      
        |  | requesting supplemental pay and that prescribe evidence a member | 
      
        |  | may or must present to demonstrate hardship. The comptroller, in | 
      
        |  | consultation with the adjutant general, may adopt rules to govern | 
      
        |  | the manner and method of paying supplemental pay under this | 
      
        |  | section. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.221.  OTHER DUTY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE MISSIONS. | 
      
        |  | The governor or the adjutant general, if designated by the | 
      
        |  | governor, may require other duty for officers and enlisted persons | 
      
        |  | in the Texas military forces. The other duty may include community | 
      
        |  | service missions. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.222.  LIABILITY OF SERVICE MEMBER.  (a) A service | 
      
        |  | member of the Texas military forces ordered into service of this | 
      
        |  | state by proper authority is not personally liable in the person's | 
      
        |  | private capacity for any act performed or for any contract or other | 
      
        |  | obligation entered into or undertaken in an official capacity in | 
      
        |  | good faith and without intent to defraud in connection with the | 
      
        |  | administration, management, or conduct of the department in | 
      
        |  | business, programs, or other related affairs, under the limited | 
      
        |  | waiver of governmental immunity provided by the Texas Tort Claims | 
      
        |  | Act (Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code). | 
      
        |  | (b)  If a suit is instituted against a service member of the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces for an act of the service member in the | 
      
        |  | service member's official capacity in the discharge of duty or | 
      
        |  | against a person acting under the authority, order, or lawfully | 
      
        |  | issued warrant of the service member, the court shall require the | 
      
        |  | plaintiff to file security for the payment of court costs that may | 
      
        |  | be awarded to the defendant. The defendant in the case may make a | 
      
        |  | general denial and give the special matter in evidence. If the | 
      
        |  | plaintiff is nonsuited or the verdict or judgment is against the | 
      
        |  | plaintiff, the defendant is entitled to recover three times the | 
      
        |  | court costs. | 
      
        |  | (c)  If a service member of the Texas military forces is sued | 
      
        |  | for injury to a person or property occurring in the performance of | 
      
        |  | or an attempt to perform a duty required by law, the court shall | 
      
        |  | remove venue of the case to a court in another county not subject to | 
      
        |  | disqualification if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the defendant applies for the removal; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  the application is supported by affidavit of two | 
      
        |  | credible persons stating that they have good reason to believe the | 
      
        |  | defendant cannot have a fair and impartial trial before the court. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.223.  EXEMPTION FROM ARREST.  (a) A member of the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces may not be arrested, except for treason, | 
      
        |  | felony, or breach of the peace, while the person is going to or | 
      
        |  | coming from a place that the person was required to be for military | 
      
        |  | duty. | 
      
        |  | (b)  This section does not prevent a peace officer from | 
      
        |  | issuing a traffic summons or citation to appear in court at a later | 
      
        |  | date that does not conflict with the member's duty hours. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.224.  VOTING.  (a) A unit, force, division, or | 
      
        |  | command of the Texas military forces that is engaged in regular | 
      
        |  | training on a day on which a primary, general, or special election | 
      
        |  | for a state or federal office is held shall provide time off or | 
      
        |  | arrange duty hours to permit all personnel to vote in the election. | 
      
        |  | (b)  This section does not apply during war, invasion, | 
      
        |  | insurrection, riot, or tumult, during imminent danger of one of | 
      
        |  | those situations, or during annual active duty for training not | 
      
        |  | exceeding 15 days. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.225.  DISCHARGE.  (a) A service member may be | 
      
        |  | discharged from the Texas military forces according to rules | 
      
        |  | adopted by the adjutant general or by federal law or regulations. | 
      
        |  | (b)  On termination of the appointment of an officer or | 
      
        |  | enlistment of an enlisted service member in the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces, the officer or enlisted service member shall be given a | 
      
        |  | certificate of discharge stating the character of the person's | 
      
        |  | service. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.226.  ASSISTANCE FOR TUITION AND FEES.  (a) In this | 
      
        |  | section, "institution of higher education" and "private or | 
      
        |  | independent institution of higher education" have the meanings | 
      
        |  | assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. | 
      
        |  | (b)  To be eligible for assistance for tuition and mandatory | 
      
        |  | fees under this section, a person must: | 
      
        |  | (1)  be a service member in good standing, as certified | 
      
        |  | by the adjutant general, of the Texas military forces who is: | 
      
        |  | (A)  an enlisted member; | 
      
        |  | (B)  a warrant officer of a grade from Warrant | 
      
        |  | Officer One through Chief Warrant Officer Three; or | 
      
        |  | (C)  a commissioned officer of a grade from Second | 
      
        |  | Lieutenant through Lieutenant Colonel; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  meet any additional qualification established by | 
      
        |  | the adjutant general to carry out the purposes of this section or to | 
      
        |  | further the institutional needs of the Texas military forces. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The adjutant general shall grant assistance for tuition | 
      
        |  | and mandatory fees under this section to eligible service members, | 
      
        |  | in an amount not to exceed the amount provided in the General | 
      
        |  | Appropriations Act. The adjutant general may apportion the number | 
      
        |  | of assistance awards among the components of the Texas military | 
      
        |  | forces necessary to meet the recruitment and retention needs of | 
      
        |  | those components. The number of assistance awards made to members | 
      
        |  | of the Texas State Guard may not exceed 30 for any semester unless | 
      
        |  | the adjutant general finds a compelling need for additional awards | 
      
        |  | to members of the Texas State Guard. | 
      
        |  | (d)  Assistance for tuition and mandatory fees may be awarded | 
      
        |  | under this section for tuition and mandatory fees charged for any | 
      
        |  | undergraduate or graduate course at an institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education or private or independent institution of higher | 
      
        |  | education, including a vocational or technical course. | 
      
        |  | (e)  A service member may not receive assistance for tuition | 
      
        |  | under this section for more than 12 semester credit hours in any | 
      
        |  | semester. | 
      
        |  | (f)  A service member may not receive assistance for tuition | 
      
        |  | and mandatory fees under this section for more than 5 academic years | 
      
        |  | or 10 semesters, whichever occurs first for the service member. | 
      
        |  | (g)  Before each semester, the department must certify to the | 
      
        |  | appropriate public and private institutions of higher education a | 
      
        |  | list of the service members to whom the adjutant general has awarded | 
      
        |  | assistance for tuition and mandatory fees under this section for | 
      
        |  | that semester. The amount of assistance awarded by the adjutant | 
      
        |  | general under this section may not exceed the amount of money | 
      
        |  | available to fund the assistance awards. | 
      
        |  | (h)  From money appropriated for purposes of this section, | 
      
        |  | the department shall authorize the comptroller to reimburse an | 
      
        |  | institution of higher education in an amount equal to the amount of | 
      
        |  | the exemption from tuition and mandatory fees the institution | 
      
        |  | grants to a person under Section 54.345, Education Code. | 
      
        |  | (i)  From money appropriated for purposes of this section, | 
      
        |  | the department shall authorize the comptroller to make a grant to a | 
      
        |  | service member attending a private or independent institution of | 
      
        |  | higher education to whom the adjutant general has awarded | 
      
        |  | assistance for tuition and mandatory fees for the semester under | 
      
        |  | this section. The amount of a grant under this subsection is an | 
      
        |  | amount equal to the average amount of reimbursement the department | 
      
        |  | estimates will be paid per student for the same semester under | 
      
        |  | Subsection (h). | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.227.  COMPENSATION FOR DEATH OR INJURY.  A member of | 
      
        |  | the Texas military forces on state active duty or on state training | 
      
        |  | or other duty who is killed or injured while engaged in authorized | 
      
        |  | duty or training is entitled to receive compensation and | 
      
        |  | protections under Title 5, Labor Code. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.228.  SALE OF ARMS.  The commanding officer of a | 
      
        |  | unit called to enforce law may order the closing of any place where | 
      
        |  | arms, ammunition, or explosives are sold and forbid the sale, | 
      
        |  | barter, loan, or gift of arms, ammunition, or explosives while | 
      
        |  | service members are on duty in or near that place. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.229.  ISSUANCE AND USE OF UNIFORM AND OTHER | 
      
        |  | MILITARY PROPERTY.  (a) A service member to whom the department | 
      
        |  | issues a uniform or other military property shall give a receipt for | 
      
        |  | the uniform or property. The adjutant general shall prescribe the | 
      
        |  | manner in which the uniform and property shall be accounted for and | 
      
        |  | kept. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The uniform or other property may be used only for | 
      
        |  | military purposes. An officer or enlisted service member of the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces who is responsible for public property may | 
      
        |  | not lend the property for private use or permit it to be used for a | 
      
        |  | purpose for which it was not intended. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.230.  UNIFORM.  (a) Except as provided by | 
      
        |  | Subsection (b), the uniform of the officers and enlisted service | 
      
        |  | members of the Texas military forces is the uniform prescribed for | 
      
        |  | the United States armed forces with modifications that the | 
      
        |  | governor, or adjutant general if delegated the authority, considers | 
      
        |  | necessary. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The Texas State Guard shall wear uniforms that differ | 
      
        |  | significantly from the uniform of the National Guard, as required | 
      
        |  | by National Guard regulations. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.231.  EXEMPTION FROM LEVY AND SALE.  Arms, | 
      
        |  | equipment, clothing, and other military supplies issued by the | 
      
        |  | department to units or service members of the Texas military forces | 
      
        |  | for military purposes are exempt from levy and sale because of | 
      
        |  | execution for debt or other legal proceedings. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.232.  SEIZURE.  (a) On a finding by the adjutant | 
      
        |  | general that a person unlawfully possesses, and refuses or fails to | 
      
        |  | deliver up, arms, equipment, or other military property issued by | 
      
        |  | the department for use of the Texas military forces, the governor | 
      
        |  | may by warrant command the sheriff of the county in which the person | 
      
        |  | resides or is located to seize the arms, equipment, or other | 
      
        |  | military property and keep the property subject to the governor's | 
      
        |  | further order. The sheriff in executing the warrant may invoke the | 
      
        |  | power of the county. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Each sheriff may collect military arms or property | 
      
        |  | issued by the department that is liable to loss or in the hands of | 
      
        |  | unauthorized persons and safely keep the arms and property subject | 
      
        |  | to order of the governor.  The sheriff shall make a report of the | 
      
        |  | collection to the governor.  The sheriff's official bond covers | 
      
        |  | faithful performance of duties under this subchapter. | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER F. TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.251.  COMPOSITION.  The Texas National Guard may | 
      
        |  | not exceed half of one percent of the population of the state except | 
      
        |  | in case of war, insurrection, or invasion, the prevention of | 
      
        |  | invasion, the suppression of riot, or the aiding of civil | 
      
        |  | authorities to execute state law. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.252.  LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ASSISTANCE.  Funds, other | 
      
        |  | property, or services may be donated to a unit of the Texas National | 
      
        |  | Guard by any public or private entity, including: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a state agency or department; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a political subdivision, including a county, | 
      
        |  | municipality, or public school district;  or | 
      
        |  | (3)  a special purpose district or authority. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.253.  PROPERTY FORFEITURE.  When the National Guard | 
      
        |  | Counterdrug Program assists a federal law enforcement agency in | 
      
        |  | enforcing drug laws, the National Guard Counterdrug Program is | 
      
        |  | considered to be a law enforcement agency of this state for the | 
      
        |  | purpose of participating in the sharing of property seized or | 
      
        |  | forfeited to the United States under federal law. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.254.  EMPLOYEES IN NATIONAL GUARD; EMERGENCY LEAVE. | 
      
        |  | (a) A state employee called to state active duty as a member of the | 
      
        |  | Texas National Guard by the governor or other appropriate authority | 
      
        |  | in response to a natural or man-made disaster is entitled to receive | 
      
        |  | paid emergency leave without loss of military leave under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.202 or annual leave. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A state employee called to federal active duty for the | 
      
        |  | purpose of providing assistance to civil authorities in a declared | 
      
        |  | emergency or for training for that purpose is entitled to receive | 
      
        |  | paid emergency leave for not more than 22 workdays without loss of | 
      
        |  | military leave under Section 437.202 or annual leave. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The duty or training under Subsection (b) does not | 
      
        |  | include duty or training carried out under Section 437.202. | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER G. TEXAS STATE GUARD | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.301.  COMMANDER.  The commander of the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard is responsible: | 
      
        |  | (1)  for the welfare, strength, and management of the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard; | 
      
        |  | (2)  for the organization, training, and | 
      
        |  | administration of all Texas State Guard components; | 
      
        |  | (3)  to the adjutant general to ensure the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard missions remain relevant and responsive as a force provider | 
      
        |  | to this state; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  to field and staff the volunteer components of the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.302.  COMPOSITION.  (a)  The Texas State Guard is | 
      
        |  | composed of units the governor, or adjutant general if delegated | 
      
        |  | the authority, considers advisable. | 
      
        |  | (b)  To serve in the Texas State Guard, a person: | 
      
        |  | (1)  must be a resident of this state for at least 180 | 
      
        |  | days; | 
      
        |  | (2)  must be a citizen of the United States or a person | 
      
        |  | who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent | 
      
        |  | residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. | 
      
        |  | Section 1101 et seq.); | 
      
        |  | (3)  must be at least 18 years of age and not older than | 
      
        |  | 70 years of age; | 
      
        |  | (4)  must undergo a background and criminal history | 
      
        |  | check; | 
      
        |  | (5)  may not be a registered sex offender; and | 
      
        |  | (6)  must be acceptable to and approved by the governor | 
      
        |  | or adjutant general under the governor's direction. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.303.  GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY.  (a)  The governor has | 
      
        |  | full control and authority over the Texas State Guard. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The governor may adopt rules governing enlistment, | 
      
        |  | organization, administration, uniforms, equipment, maintenance, | 
      
        |  | command, training, and discipline of the Texas State Guard.  The | 
      
        |  | rules to the extent practicable and desirable must conform to law, | 
      
        |  | rules, and regulations governing the Texas National Guard. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The governor may delegate the powers granted by this | 
      
        |  | section to the adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.304.  ASSISTANCE.  (a)  Funds or other property or | 
      
        |  | services may be solicited by or donated to a unit in the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard by any public or private entity, including: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a state agency or department; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a political subdivision, including a county, | 
      
        |  | municipality, or public school district;  or | 
      
        |  | (3)  a special purpose district or authority. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A public school district may permit the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard to use a school building. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The assistance solicited or received under this section | 
      
        |  | is governed by the policies and rules adopted by the adjutant | 
      
        |  | general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.305.  EMPLOYEES IN STATE GUARD; EMERGENCY LEAVE. A | 
      
        |  | state employee called to state active duty as a member of the Texas | 
      
        |  | State Guard by the governor or other appropriate authority in | 
      
        |  | response to a natural or man-made disaster is entitled to receive | 
      
        |  | paid emergency leave without loss of military leave under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.202 or annual leave. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.306.  USE OUTSIDE STATE; FRESH PURSUIT FROM OR INTO | 
      
        |  | STATE.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard may not be required to serve outside the state. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The governor, on request of the governor of another | 
      
        |  | state, may order all or part of the Texas State Guard to assist a | 
      
        |  | military or civil authority of that state in defending that state. | 
      
        |  | The governor may recall these forces. | 
      
        |  | (c)  If authorized by the law of another state, an | 
      
        |  | organization, unit, or detachment of the Texas State Guard, on | 
      
        |  | order of the officer in immediate command, may continue in fresh | 
      
        |  | pursuit of an insurrectionist, a saboteur, an enemy, or enemy | 
      
        |  | forces into that state until the apprehension or capture of the | 
      
        |  | person or forces pursued or until military or police forces of that | 
      
        |  | state or the United States have had a reasonable opportunity to | 
      
        |  | apprehend, capture, or take up the pursuit of the person or forces. | 
      
        |  | The Texas State Guard without unnecessary delay shall surrender a | 
      
        |  | person apprehended or captured in another state to the military or | 
      
        |  | police forces of that state or the United States. This surrender is | 
      
        |  | not a waiver by this state of a right to extradite or prosecute the | 
      
        |  | person for a crime committed in this state. | 
      
        |  | (d)  Military forces of another state may continue a fresh | 
      
        |  | pursuit into this state in the same manner permitted the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard under Subsection (c). The military forces of the other state | 
      
        |  | shall without unnecessary delay surrender a person captured or | 
      
        |  | arrested in this state to the military or police forces of this | 
      
        |  | state to be dealt with according to law. This subsection does not | 
      
        |  | prohibit an arrest in this state permitted by other law. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.307.  FEDERAL SERVICE.  This chapter does not | 
      
        |  | authorize the calling, ordering, or drafting of all or part of the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard into military service of the United States. A | 
      
        |  | person is not exempted by enlistment or commission in the Texas | 
      
        |  | State Guard from military service under federal law. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.308.  RECORDS;  ARMS;  EQUIPMENT.  (a)  The | 
      
        |  | commander of the Texas State Guard shall maintain and preserve the | 
      
        |  | individual and unit records of the Texas State Guard and the Texas | 
      
        |  | State Guard Honorary Reserve. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The governor may request for use of the Texas State | 
      
        |  | Guard arms and equipment that the United States government | 
      
        |  | possesses and can spare. The governor, or the adjutant general if | 
      
        |  | delegated the authority by the governor, may make available to the | 
      
        |  | Texas State Guard state armories and available state property. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.309.  TEXAS STATE GUARD HONORARY RESERVE.  (a)  The | 
      
        |  | governor, or adjutant general under the governor's authority and | 
      
        |  | direction, may transfer to the Texas State Guard Honorary Reserve | 
      
        |  | an officer or enlisted service member of the Texas State Guard who: | 
      
        |  | (1)  is physically disabled; | 
      
        |  | (2)  is at least 60 years of age;  or | 
      
        |  | (3)  has served the federal or state military | 
      
        |  | satisfactorily for at least 20 years. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The governor, or the adjutant general for a service | 
      
        |  | member that is not a general officer, may advance the service member | 
      
        |  | one grade or rank at the time of the transfer into the honorary | 
      
        |  | reserve. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.310.  TEXAS STATE GUARD UNIFORM AND INSIGNIA FUND. | 
      
        |  | (a) A special revolving fund is established outside the state | 
      
        |  | treasury to be known as the Texas State Guard uniform and insignia | 
      
        |  | fund. The fund may be used only to purchase uniforms and insignia to | 
      
        |  | be used by members of the Texas State Guard. The fund shall be | 
      
        |  | administered in accordance with Section 437.211. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The fund consists of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  donations made to the fund; | 
      
        |  | (2)  revenue received by the Texas State Guard from the | 
      
        |  | sale of uniforms and insignia to members of the guard; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  depository interest and investment income earned | 
      
        |  | on money in the fund. | 
      
        |  | (c)  If any part of the fund remains unexpended and | 
      
        |  | unobligated at the end of the state fiscal year, that amount is | 
      
        |  | dedicated for the same purposes in the subsequent year. Money in the | 
      
        |  | fund may not be diverted for any other purpose. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.02.  Subchapter J, Chapter 431, Government Code, | 
      
        |  | is transferred to Chapter 437, Government Code, as added by this | 
      
        |  | Act, redesignated as Subchapter H, Chapter 437, Government Code, | 
      
        |  | and amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER H [ J].  AWARDS | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.351  [ 431.131].  TEXAS LEGISLATIVE MEDAL OF HONOR. | 
      
        |  | (a)  The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor shall be awarded to a | 
      
        |  | member of the state or federal military forces designated by | 
      
        |  | concurrent resolution of the legislature who voluntarily performs a | 
      
        |  | deed of personal bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life | 
      
        |  | that is so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the service member | 
      
        |  | [ person] for gallantry and intrepidity above the service member's | 
      
        |  | [ person's] comrades.  Awarding of the medal shall be considered on | 
      
        |  | the standard of extraordinary merit.  The medal may be awarded only | 
      
        |  | on incontestable proof of performance of the deed.  To be eligible | 
      
        |  | for the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, a service member [ person] | 
      
        |  | must: | 
      
        |  | (1)  have been born in this state; | 
      
        |  | (2)  reside in this state or have been a resident of | 
      
        |  | this state on the service member's [ person's] death; or | 
      
        |  | (3)  have been a resident of this state when the service | 
      
        |  | member [ person] entered military service. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A service member [ person] is not ineligible for the | 
      
        |  | Texas Legislative Medal of Honor because the service member | 
      
        |  | [ person] has received any other medal or award for military | 
      
        |  | service, including a medal or award made by the United States. | 
      
        |  | (c)  To receive the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, a | 
      
        |  | service member [ person] must be nominated during a regular session | 
      
        |  | of the legislature by majority vote of all the members of a | 
      
        |  | nominating committee consisting of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the adjutant general or the adjutant general's | 
      
        |  | designated representative; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the lieutenant governor or the lieutenant | 
      
        |  | governor's designated representative; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the speaker of the house of representatives or the | 
      
        |  | speaker's designated representative; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  the chair of the standing committee of each house | 
      
        |  | of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over military and | 
      
        |  | veterans affairs. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The legislature by concurrent resolution may direct the | 
      
        |  | governor to award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to a service | 
      
        |  | member [ person] nominated by the nominating committee.  The | 
      
        |  | committee chairs serving on the nominating committee shall jointly | 
      
        |  | prepare a concurrent resolution directing the governor to award the | 
      
        |  | medal to a service member [ person] nominated.  The legislature may | 
      
        |  | direct the medal to be awarded only during a regular session and may | 
      
        |  | not direct the medal to be awarded to more than one service member | 
      
        |  | [ person] during a regular session. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.352  [ 431.132].  LONE STAR MEDAL OF VALOR.  The | 
      
        |  | Lone Star Medal of Valor shall be awarded to a member of the | 
      
        |  | military forces of this state, another state, or the United States | 
      
        |  | who performs specific acts of bravery or outstanding courage, or | 
      
        |  | who performs within an exceptionally short period a closely related | 
      
        |  | series of heroic acts, if the acts involve personal hazard or danger | 
      
        |  | and the voluntary risk of life and result in an accomplishment so | 
      
        |  | exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the person apart from | 
      
        |  | the person's comrades or from other persons in similar | 
      
        |  | circumstances.  Awarding of the medal requires a lesser degree of | 
      
        |  | gallantry than awarding of the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, | 
      
        |  | but requires that the acts be performed with marked distinction. | 
      
        |  | [ Sec. 431.133.  LONE STAR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL.  The  | 
      
        |  | Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal shall be awarded to a member  | 
      
        |  | of the military forces of this state, another state, or the United  | 
      
        |  | States for exceptionally outstanding achievement or service to the  | 
      
        |  | state in performance of a duty of great responsibility while  | 
      
        |  | serving with the state military forces. | 
      
        |  | [ Sec. 431.134.  OTHER AWARDS.  (a)  The adjutant general may  | 
      
        |  | adopt rules and regulations relating to the: | 
      
        |  | [ (1)  Texas Faithful Service Medal, which shall be  | 
      
        |  | awarded to a member of the state military forces who has completed  | 
      
        |  | five years of honorable service during which the person has shown  | 
      
        |  | fidelity to duty, efficient service, and great loyalty to the  | 
      
        |  | state; | 
      
        |  | [ (2)  Federal Service Medal, which shall be awarded to  | 
      
        |  | a person who was inducted into federal service from the state  | 
      
        |  | military forces between June 15, 1940, and January 1, 1946, or after  | 
      
        |  | June 1, 1950, if the service was for more than 90 days; | 
      
        |  | [ (3)  Texas Medal of Merit, which may be presented to a  | 
      
        |  | member of the military forces of this state, another state, or the  | 
      
        |  | United States who performs outstanding service or attains  | 
      
        |  | extraordinary achievement in behalf of the state or United States; | 
      
        |  | [ (4)  Texas Outstanding Service Medal, which may be  | 
      
        |  | presented to a member of the military forces of this state, another  | 
      
        |  | state, or the United States who has performed service in a superior  | 
      
        |  | and clearly outstanding manner; | 
      
        |  | [ (5)  Texas State Guard Service Medal, which shall be  | 
      
        |  | awarded to a person who completes three consecutive years of  | 
      
        |  | honorable service in the Texas State Guard during which the person  | 
      
        |  | has shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and great loyalty to  | 
      
        |  | the state; | 
      
        |  | [ (6)  Texas Desert Shield/Desert Storm Campaign Medal,  | 
      
        |  | which shall be awarded to a person who was inducted into federal  | 
      
        |  | service from the Texas National Guard after August 1, 1990, in  | 
      
        |  | support of Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm,  | 
      
        |  | without regard to the place that the person was deployed while  | 
      
        |  | serving on active federal military duty; | 
      
        |  | [ (7)  Texas Humanitarian Service Medal, which shall be  | 
      
        |  | awarded to a person who: | 
      
        |  | [ (A)  does not meet the criteria for an award of  | 
      
        |  | the federal Humanitarian Service Medal; | 
      
        |  | [ (B)  is a member of the state military forces;  | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | [ (C)  while serving on state active duty or active  | 
      
        |  | duty under state authority in accordance with Title 32 of the United  | 
      
        |  | States Code, participates satisfactorily in defense support to a  | 
      
        |  | mission under civilian authority to protect life or property during  | 
      
        |  | or soon after a natural disaster or civil unrest in the state; | 
      
        |  | [ (8)  Texas Cavalry Medal, which shall be awarded to a  | 
      
        |  | person who: | 
      
        |  | [ (A)  served on or after September 11, 2001, in  | 
      
        |  | the 124th Cavalry, Texas Army National Guard; and | 
      
        |  | [ (B)  served in a hostile fire zone as designated  | 
      
        |  | by the United States secretary of defense; | 
      
        |  | [ (9)  Texas Combat Service Ribbon, which shall be  | 
      
        |  | awarded to a member of the Texas National Guard who served, after  | 
      
        |  | September 11, 2001, in a hostile fire zone as designated by the  | 
      
        |  | United States secretary of defense; | 
      
        |  | [ (10)  Texas Purple Heart Medal, which shall be awarded  | 
      
        |  | to a person who, after September 11, 2001: | 
      
        |  | [ (A)  was inducted into federal service from the  | 
      
        |  | Texas National Guard; and | 
      
        |  | [ (B)  meets the criteria for an award of the  | 
      
        |  | federal Purple Heart Medal; | 
      
        |  | [ (11)  Texas Superior Service Medal, which shall be  | 
      
        |  | awarded to: | 
      
        |  | [ (A)  a member of the state military forces who  | 
      
        |  | has: | 
      
        |  | [ (i)  completed 30 or more years of  | 
      
        |  | honorable state service or a combination of state and federal  | 
      
        |  | service; and | 
      
        |  | [ (ii)  continually demonstrated superior  | 
      
        |  | performance and service while assigned to key leadership positions  | 
      
        |  | demanding responsibility; or | 
      
        |  | [ (B)  a civilian who has contributed significant  | 
      
        |  | service to the state military forces; | 
      
        |  | [ (12)  Texas Homeland Defense Service Medal, which  | 
      
        |  | shall be awarded to a member of the state military forces who  | 
      
        |  | served: | 
      
        |  | [ (A)  on or after September 11, 2001; | 
      
        |  | [ (B)  on state active duty or active duty under  | 
      
        |  | state authority in accordance with Title 32 of the United States  | 
      
        |  | Code; and | 
      
        |  | [ (C)  satisfactorily in defense support to a  | 
      
        |  | mission in the state under civilian authority; | 
      
        |  | [ (13)  Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal, which shall be  | 
      
        |  | awarded to a person who was inducted into federal service from the  | 
      
        |  | Texas National Guard, without regard to the place that the person  | 
      
        |  | was deployed while serving on active federal military duty, after: | 
      
        |  | [ (A)  March 19, 2003, in support of Operation  | 
      
        |  | Iraqi Freedom; or | 
      
        |  | [ (B)  August 31, 2010, in support of Operation New  | 
      
        |  | Dawn; and | 
      
        |  | [ (14)  Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal, which shall be  | 
      
        |  | awarded to a person who was inducted into federal service from the  | 
      
        |  | Texas National Guard after October 6, 2001, in support of Operation  | 
      
        |  | Enduring Freedom, without regard to the place that the person was  | 
      
        |  | deployed while serving on active federal military duty. | 
      
        |  | [ (b)  A member of the state military forces or a civilian  | 
      
        |  | described by Subsection (a)(11) may be awarded the Texas Superior  | 
      
        |  | Service Medal only one time.] | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.353  [ 431.135].  RECOMMENDATIONS.  (a) A | 
      
        |  | recommendation for award of the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor | 
      
        |  | or[ ,] Lone Star Medal of Valor[, or Lone Star Distinguished Service  | 
      
        |  | Medal] shall be forwarded through military channels to the adjutant | 
      
        |  | general.  An individual having personal knowledge of an act or | 
      
        |  | achievement or exceptional service believed to warrant the award of | 
      
        |  | one of these medals may submit a letter of recommendation to the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A letter of recommendation for award of the Texas | 
      
        |  | Legislative Medal of Honor or Lone Star Medal of Valor must give an | 
      
        |  | account of the occurrence and statements of eyewitnesses, extracts | 
      
        |  | from official records, sketches, maps, diagrams, or photographs to | 
      
        |  | support and amplify the stated facts. | 
      
        |  | (c)  [ A letter of recommendation for award of the Lone Star  | 
      
        |  | Distinguished Service Medal must give an account of the exceptional  | 
      
        |  | service or achievement, facts, and extracts from official documents  | 
      
        |  | and photographs to support and amplify the facts. | 
      
        |  | [ (d)]  If the adjutant general determines that a case meets | 
      
        |  | the criteria established by Section 437.352 [ this subchapter] for | 
      
        |  | award of the Lone Star Medal of Valor [ the awarding of one of these  | 
      
        |  | medals], the adjutant general shall by endorsement recommend to the | 
      
        |  | governor the awarding of the [ appropriate] medal. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.354  [ 431.136].  AWARDING.  The governor awards the | 
      
        |  | Texas Legislative Medal of Honor as directed by the legislature | 
      
        |  | under Section 437.351 [ 431.131]. The governor awards the Lone Star | 
      
        |  | Medal of Valor[ , Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, or any  | 
      
        |  | other award authorized by this subchapter] on recommendation of the | 
      
        |  | adjutant general. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.355.  OTHER AWARDS.  (a) The governor or adjutant | 
      
        |  | general, if delegated the authority, may adopt policies and rules | 
      
        |  | relating to awarding: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the Texas Purple Heart Medal, which shall be | 
      
        |  | awarded to a service member who, after September 11, 2001: | 
      
        |  | (A)  was inducted into federal service from the | 
      
        |  | Texas National Guard; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  meets the criteria for an award of the | 
      
        |  | federal Purple Heart Medal; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the Texas Superior Service Medal, which shall be | 
      
        |  | awarded to: | 
      
        |  | (A)  a service member of the Texas military forces | 
      
        |  | who has: | 
      
        |  | (i)  completed 30 or more years of honorable | 
      
        |  | state service or a combination of state and federal service; and | 
      
        |  | (ii)  continually demonstrated superior | 
      
        |  | performance and service while assigned to key leadership positions | 
      
        |  | demanding responsibility; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  a civilian who has contributed significant | 
      
        |  | service to the Texas military forces; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, which | 
      
        |  | shall be awarded to a member of the military forces of this state, | 
      
        |  | another state, or the United States for exceptionally outstanding | 
      
        |  | achievement or service to this state in performance of a duty of | 
      
        |  | great responsibility while serving with the Texas military forces | 
      
        |  | for whom the department receives a letter of recommendation for | 
      
        |  | award of the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal that: | 
      
        |  | (A)  gives an account of the exceptional | 
      
        |  | achievement or service; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  includes facts and photographs, and extracts | 
      
        |  | from official documents to support and amplify the facts; | 
      
        |  | (4)  the Texas Outstanding Service Medal, which shall | 
      
        |  | be awarded to a service member of the military forces of this state, | 
      
        |  | another state, or the United States who has performed service in a | 
      
        |  | superior and clearly outstanding manner; | 
      
        |  | (5)  the Texas Humanitarian Service Medal, which shall | 
      
        |  | be awarded to a service member who: | 
      
        |  | (A)  does not meet the criteria for an award of the | 
      
        |  | federal Humanitarian Service Medal; | 
      
        |  | (B)  is a member of the Texas military forces; and | 
      
        |  | (C)  while serving on state active duty or active | 
      
        |  | duty under state authority in accordance with Title 32, United | 
      
        |  | States Code, participates satisfactorily in defense support to a | 
      
        |  | mission under civilian authority to protect life or property during | 
      
        |  | or soon after a natural disaster or civil unrest in the state; | 
      
        |  | (6)  the Texas Homeland Defense Service Medal, which | 
      
        |  | shall be awarded to a service member of the Texas military forces | 
      
        |  | who served: | 
      
        |  | (A)  on or after September 11, 2001; | 
      
        |  | (B)  on state active duty or active duty under | 
      
        |  | state authority in accordance with Title 32, United States Code; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (C)  satisfactorily in defense support to a | 
      
        |  | mission in the state under civilian authority; | 
      
        |  | (7)  the Federal Service Medal, which shall be awarded | 
      
        |  | to a service member who was inducted into federal service from the | 
      
        |  | Texas military forces between June 15, 1940, and January 1, 1946, or | 
      
        |  | after June 1, 1950, if the service was for more than 90 days; | 
      
        |  | (8)  the Texas Combat Service Ribbon, which shall be | 
      
        |  | awarded to a service member of the Texas National Guard who served, | 
      
        |  | after September 11, 2001, in a hostile fire zone as designated by | 
      
        |  | the United States secretary of defense; | 
      
        |  | (9)  the Texas Faithful Service Medal, which shall be | 
      
        |  | awarded to a member of the Texas military forces who has completed | 
      
        |  | five years of honorable service during which the service member has | 
      
        |  | shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and great loyalty to | 
      
        |  | this state; | 
      
        |  | (10)  the Texas Medal of Merit, which shall be awarded | 
      
        |  | to a member of the military forces of this state, another state, or | 
      
        |  | the United States who performs outstanding service or attains | 
      
        |  | extraordinary achievement in behalf of the state or United States; | 
      
        |  | (11)  the Texas State Guard Service Medal, which shall | 
      
        |  | be awarded to a service member who completes three consecutive | 
      
        |  | years of honorable service in the Texas State Guard during which the | 
      
        |  | service member has shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and | 
      
        |  | great loyalty to this state; | 
      
        |  | (12)  the Texas Desert Shield/Desert Storm Campaign | 
      
        |  | Medal, which shall be awarded to a service member who was inducted | 
      
        |  | into federal service from the Texas National Guard after August 1, | 
      
        |  | 1990, in support of Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert | 
      
        |  | Storm, without regard to the place that the service member was | 
      
        |  | deployed while serving on active federal military duty; | 
      
        |  | (13)  the Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal, which shall be | 
      
        |  | awarded to a service member who was inducted into federal service | 
      
        |  | from the Texas National Guard, without regard to the place that the | 
      
        |  | service member was deployed while serving on active federal | 
      
        |  | military duty, after: | 
      
        |  | (A)  March 19, 2003, in support of Operation Iraqi | 
      
        |  | Freedom; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  August 31, 2010, in support of Operation New | 
      
        |  | Dawn; and | 
      
        |  | (14)  the Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal, which shall | 
      
        |  | be awarded to a service member who was inducted into federal service | 
      
        |  | from the Texas National Guard after October 6, 2001, in support of | 
      
        |  | Operation Enduring Freedom, without regard to the place that the | 
      
        |  | service member was deployed while serving on active federal | 
      
        |  | military duty. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A person may be awarded only one Texas Superior Service | 
      
        |  | Medal. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.356  [ 431.137].  POSTHUMOUS AWARDS.  An award may | 
      
        |  | be made to a person who has died in the same manner as an award to a | 
      
        |  | living person, except the orders and citation must indicate that | 
      
        |  | the award is made posthumously. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.357  [ 431.138].  DESIGN; RIBBONS.  (a)  The | 
      
        |  | department [ adjutant general] shall design and have manufactured | 
      
        |  | the medals, awards, decorations, and ribbons awarded under this | 
      
        |  | subchapter and others that the adjutant general has approved for | 
      
        |  | award. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The department may purchase or replace medals, awards, | 
      
        |  | decorations, and ribbons authorized under this subchapter for the | 
      
        |  | recipient, the decedent's family, and nonprofit and governmental | 
      
        |  | entities honoring the recipient or decedent. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The adjutant general shall adopt rules [ and  | 
      
        |  | regulations] prescribing when a ribbon may be appropriately worn | 
      
        |  | instead of the medal it symbolizes. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.03.  Subchapter K, Chapter 431, Government Code, | 
      
        |  | is transferred to Chapter 437, Government Code, as added by this | 
      
        |  | Act, redesignated as Subchapter I, Chapter 437, Government Code, | 
      
        |  | and amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER I [ K].  ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND JUDICIAL ENFORCEMENT | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.451  [ 431.151].  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Workforce Commission | 
      
        |  | civil rights division. | 
      
        |  | (2)  "Complainant" means an individual who brings an | 
      
        |  | action or proceeding under this subchapter. | 
      
        |  | (3)  "Respondent" means the person charged in a | 
      
        |  | complaint filed under this subchapter. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.452  [ 431.152].  FILING OF COMPLAINT; FORM AND | 
      
        |  | CONTENT; SERVICE.  (a)  A person claiming to be aggrieved by an | 
      
        |  | unlawful employment practice under Section 437.204 [ 431.006] or the | 
      
        |  | person's agent may file a complaint with the commission. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The complaint must be in writing and made under oath. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The complaint must state: | 
      
        |  | (1)  that an unlawful employment practice under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.204 [ 431.006] has been committed; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the facts on which the complaint is based, | 
      
        |  | including the date, place, and circumstances of the alleged | 
      
        |  | unlawful employment practice; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  facts sufficient to enable the commission to | 
      
        |  | identify the respondent. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The commission shall serve the respondent with a copy of | 
      
        |  | the perfected complaint not later than the 10th day after the date | 
      
        |  | the complaint is filed. | 
      
        |  | (e)  A complaint may be amended to cure technical defects or | 
      
        |  | omissions, including a failure to verify the complaint or to | 
      
        |  | clarify and amplify an allegation made in the complaint. | 
      
        |  | (f)  An amendment to a complaint alleging additional facts | 
      
        |  | that constitute an unlawful employment practice under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.204 [ 431.006] relating to or arising from the subject matter of | 
      
        |  | the original complaint relates back to the date the complaint was | 
      
        |  | first received by the commission. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.453  [ 431.153].  ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION. | 
      
        |  | The use of alternative means of dispute resolution, including | 
      
        |  | settlement negotiations, conciliation, facilitation, mediation, | 
      
        |  | fact-finding, minitrials, and arbitration, is encouraged to | 
      
        |  | resolve disputes arising under Section 437.204 [ 431.006].  The | 
      
        |  | settlement of a disputed claim under this subchapter that results | 
      
        |  | from the use of traditional or alternative means of dispute | 
      
        |  | resolution is binding on the parties to the claim. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.454  [ 431.154].  INVESTIGATION BY COMMISSION.  The | 
      
        |  | commission shall investigate a complaint arising under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.204 [ 431.006] and determine if there is reasonable cause to | 
      
        |  | believe that the respondent engaged in an unlawful employment | 
      
        |  | practice as alleged in the complaint. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.455  [ 431.155].  LACK OF REASONABLE CAUSE; | 
      
        |  | DISMISSAL OF COMPLAINT.  (a)  If, after investigation, the | 
      
        |  | commission determines that reasonable cause does not exist to | 
      
        |  | believe that the respondent engaged in an unlawful employment | 
      
        |  | practice under Section 437.204 [ 431.006] as alleged in a complaint, | 
      
        |  | the commission shall issue a written determination incorporating | 
      
        |  | the finding that the evidence does not support the complaint and | 
      
        |  | dismissing the complaint. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The commission shall serve a copy of the determination | 
      
        |  | on the complainant, the respondent, and other agencies as required | 
      
        |  | by law. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.456  [ 431.156].  DETERMINATION OF REASONABLE | 
      
        |  | CAUSE; REVIEW BY PANEL.  If, after investigation, the commission | 
      
        |  | determines that there is reasonable cause to believe that the | 
      
        |  | respondent engaged in an unlawful employment practice under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.204 [ 431.006] as alleged in a complaint, the commission shall: | 
      
        |  | (1)  issue a written determination incorporating the | 
      
        |  | finding that the evidence supports the complaint; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  serve a copy of the determination on the | 
      
        |  | complainant, the respondent, and other agencies as required by law. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.457  [ 431.157].  RESOLUTION BY INFORMAL METHODS. | 
      
        |  | (a)  If a determination of reasonable cause is made, the commission | 
      
        |  | shall endeavor to eliminate the alleged unlawful employment | 
      
        |  | practice arising under Section 437.204 [ 431.006] by informal | 
      
        |  | methods of conference, conciliation, and persuasion. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Without the written consent of the complainant and | 
      
        |  | respondent, the commission, its executive director, or its other | 
      
        |  | officers or employees may not disclose to the public information | 
      
        |  | about the efforts in a particular case to resolve an alleged | 
      
        |  | unlawful employment practice by conference, conciliation, or | 
      
        |  | persuasion, regardless of whether there is a determination of | 
      
        |  | reasonable cause. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.458  [ 431.158].  NOTICE OF DISMISSAL OR UNRESOLVED | 
      
        |  | COMPLAINT.  If the commission dismisses a complaint or does not | 
      
        |  | resolve the complaint, the commission shall inform the complainant | 
      
        |  | of the dismissal or failure to resolve the complaint in writing by | 
      
        |  | certified mail. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.459  [ 431.159].  TEMPORARY INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.  (a) | 
      
        |  | If the commission concludes from a preliminary investigation of an | 
      
        |  | unlawful employment practice arising under Section 437.204 | 
      
        |  | [ 431.006] alleged in a complaint that prompt judicial action is | 
      
        |  | necessary, the commission shall file a petition seeking appropriate | 
      
        |  | temporary relief against the respondent pending final | 
      
        |  | determination of a proceeding under this subchapter. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The petition shall be filed in a district court in a | 
      
        |  | county in which: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the alleged unlawful employment practice that is | 
      
        |  | the subject of the complaint occurred; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  the respondent resides. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A court may not issue temporary injunctive relief unless | 
      
        |  | the commission shows: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a substantial likelihood of success on the merits; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (2)  irreparable harm to the complainant in the absence | 
      
        |  | of the preliminary relief pending final determination on the | 
      
        |  | merits. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.460  [ 431.160].  CIVIL ACTION BY COMMISSION.  (a) | 
      
        |  | The commission may bring a civil action against a respondent if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the commission determines that there is reasonable | 
      
        |  | cause to believe that the respondent engaged in an unlawful | 
      
        |  | employment practice under Section 437.204 [ 431.006]; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  the commission's efforts to resolve the | 
      
        |  | discriminatory practice to the satisfaction of the complainant and | 
      
        |  | respondent through informal methods have been unsuccessful. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The complainant may intervene in a civil action brought | 
      
        |  | by the commission. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.461  [ 431.161].  NOTICE OF COMPLAINANT'S RIGHT TO | 
      
        |  | FILE CIVIL ACTION.  (a)  A complainant who receives notice under | 
      
        |  | Section 437.458 [ 431.158] that the complaint is dismissed or not | 
      
        |  | resolved is entitled to request from the commission a written | 
      
        |  | notice of the complainant's right to file a civil action. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The complainant must request the notice in writing. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The executive director of the commission may issue the | 
      
        |  | notice. | 
      
        |  | (d)  Failure of the executive director of the commission to | 
      
        |  | issue the notice of a complainant's right to file a civil action | 
      
        |  | does not affect the complainant's right under this subchapter to | 
      
        |  | bring a civil action against the respondent. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.462  [ 431.162].  CIVIL ACTION BY COMPLAINANT. | 
      
        |  | Within 60 days after the date a notice of the right to file a civil | 
      
        |  | action is received, the complainant may bring a civil action | 
      
        |  | against the respondent. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.463  [ 431.163].  COMMISSION'S INTERVENTION IN | 
      
        |  | CIVIL ACTION BY COMPLAINANT.  After receipt of a timely | 
      
        |  | application, a court may permit the commission to intervene in a | 
      
        |  | civil action filed under Section 437.462 [ 431.162] if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the commission certifies that the case is of | 
      
        |  | general public importance; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  before commencement of the action, the commission | 
      
        |  | issued a determination of reasonable cause to believe that Section | 
      
        |  | 437.204 [ 431.006] was violated. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.464  [ 431.164].  ASSIGNMENT TO EARLY HEARING.  The | 
      
        |  | court shall set an action brought under this subchapter for hearing | 
      
        |  | at the earliest practicable date to expedite the action. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.465  [ 431.165].  INJUNCTION; EQUITABLE RELIEF. | 
      
        |  | (a)  On finding that a respondent engaged in an unlawful employment | 
      
        |  | practice under Section 437.204 [ 431.006] as alleged in a complaint, | 
      
        |  | a court may: | 
      
        |  | (1)  prohibit by injunction the respondent from | 
      
        |  | engaging in an unlawful employment practice under Section 437.204 | 
      
        |  | [ 431.006]; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  order additional equitable relief as may be | 
      
        |  | appropriate. | 
      
        |  | (b)  Additional equitable relief may include: | 
      
        |  | (1)  hiring or reinstating with or without back pay; | 
      
        |  | (2)  upgrading an employee with or without pay; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  paying court costs. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Liability under a back pay award may not accrue for a | 
      
        |  | date more than two years before the date a complaint is filed with | 
      
        |  | the commission.  Interim earnings, workers' compensation benefits, | 
      
        |  | and unemployment compensation benefits received operate to reduce | 
      
        |  | the back pay otherwise allowable. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.466  [ 431.166].  COMPENSATORY AND PUNITIVE | 
      
        |  | DAMAGES.  (a)  On finding that a respondent engaged in an | 
      
        |  | intentional unlawful employment practice under Section 437.204 | 
      
        |  | [ 431.006] as alleged in a complaint, a court may, as provided by | 
      
        |  | this section, award: | 
      
        |  | (1)  compensatory damages; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  punitive damages. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A complainant may recover punitive damages against a | 
      
        |  | respondent, other than a respondent that is a governmental entity, | 
      
        |  | if the complainant demonstrates that the respondent engaged in an | 
      
        |  | unlawful employment practice under Section 437.204 [ 431.006] with | 
      
        |  | malice or with reckless indifference to the state-protected rights | 
      
        |  | of an aggrieved individual. | 
      
        |  | (c)  Compensatory damages awarded under this section may not | 
      
        |  | include: | 
      
        |  | (1)  back pay; | 
      
        |  | (2)  interest on back pay; or | 
      
        |  | (3)  other relief authorized under Section 437.465(b) | 
      
        |  | [ 431.165(b)]. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The sum of the amount of compensatory damages awarded | 
      
        |  | under this section for future pecuniary losses, emotional pain, | 
      
        |  | suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of | 
      
        |  | life, and other nonpecuniary losses and the amount of punitive | 
      
        |  | damages awarded under this section may not exceed, for each | 
      
        |  | complainant: | 
      
        |  | (1)  $50,000 in the case of a respondent that has fewer | 
      
        |  | than 101 employees; | 
      
        |  | (2)  $100,000 in the case of a respondent that has more | 
      
        |  | than 100 and fewer than 201 employees; | 
      
        |  | (3)  $200,000 in the case of a respondent that has more | 
      
        |  | than 200 and fewer than 501 employees; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  $300,000 in the case of a respondent that has more | 
      
        |  | than 500 employees. | 
      
        |  | (e)  For the purposes of Subsection (d), in determining the | 
      
        |  | number of employees of a respondent, the requisite number of | 
      
        |  | employees must be employed by the respondent for each of 20 or more | 
      
        |  | calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.467  [ 431.167].  ATTORNEY'S FEES; COSTS.  (a)  In a | 
      
        |  | proceeding under this subchapter, a court may allow the prevailing | 
      
        |  | party, other than the commission, a reasonable attorney's fee as | 
      
        |  | part of the costs. | 
      
        |  | (b)  The state, a state agency, or a political subdivision is | 
      
        |  | liable for costs, including attorney's fees, to the same extent as a | 
      
        |  | private person. | 
      
        |  | (c)  In awarding costs and attorney's fees in an action or a | 
      
        |  | proceeding under this subchapter, the court, in its discretion, may | 
      
        |  | include reasonable expert fees. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.468  [ 431.168].  COMPELLED COMPLIANCE.  If an | 
      
        |  | employer fails to comply with a court order issued under this | 
      
        |  | subchapter, a party to the action or the commission, on the written | 
      
        |  | request of a person aggrieved by the failure, may commence | 
      
        |  | proceedings to compel compliance with the order. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 437.469  [ 431.169].  TRIAL DE NOVO.  (a)  A judicial | 
      
        |  | proceeding under this subchapter is by trial de novo. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A commission finding, recommendation, determination, or | 
      
        |  | other action is not binding on a court. | 
      
        |  | ARTICLE 2.  TEXAS MILITARY DEPARTMENT CONFORMING CHANGES | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.01.  Section 7.111(a), Education Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The board shall provide for the administration of high | 
      
        |  | school equivalency examinations, including administration by the | 
      
        |  | Texas Military Department [ adjutant general's department] for | 
      
        |  | students described by Subdivision (2)(C).  A person who does not | 
      
        |  | have a high school diploma may take the examination in accordance | 
      
        |  | with rules adopted by the board if the person is: | 
      
        |  | (1)  over 17 years of age; | 
      
        |  | (2)  16 years of age or older and: | 
      
        |  | (A)  is enrolled in a Job Corps training program | 
      
        |  | under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. Section 2801 | 
      
        |  | et seq.), and its subsequent amendments; | 
      
        |  | (B)  a public agency providing supervision of the | 
      
        |  | person or having custody of the person under a court order | 
      
        |  | recommends that the person take the examination; or | 
      
        |  | (C)  is enrolled in the Texas Military | 
      
        |  | Department's [ adjutant general's department's] Seaborne ChalleNGe | 
      
        |  | Corps; or | 
      
        |  | (3)  required to take the examination under a justice | 
      
        |  | or municipal court order issued under Article 45.054(a)(1)(C), Code | 
      
        |  | of Criminal Procedure. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.02.  Section 411.121(b), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  The adjutant general is entitled to obtain from the | 
      
        |  | department criminal history record information maintained by the | 
      
        |  | department that relates to a person who is: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a member of the state military forces; | 
      
        |  | (2)  an employee of the Texas Military Department | 
      
        |  | [ adjutant general's department]; | 
      
        |  | (3)  an applicant for enlistment in the state military | 
      
        |  | forces; or | 
      
        |  | (4)  an applicant for employment with the Texas | 
      
        |  | Military Department [ adjutant general's department]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.03.  Section 421.021(a), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The Homeland Security Council is composed of the | 
      
        |  | governor or the governor's designee, the speaker of the house of | 
      
        |  | representatives or the speaker's designee, the lieutenant governor | 
      
        |  | or the lieutenant governor's designee, and one representative of | 
      
        |  | each of the following entities, appointed by the single statewide | 
      
        |  | elected or appointed governing officer, administrative head, or | 
      
        |  | chair, as appropriate, of the entity: | 
      
        |  | (1)  Department of Agriculture; | 
      
        |  | (2)  office of the attorney general; | 
      
        |  | (3)  General Land Office; | 
      
        |  | (4)  Public Utility Commission of Texas; | 
      
        |  | (5)  Department of State Health Services; | 
      
        |  | (6)  Department of Information Resources; | 
      
        |  | (7)  Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas; | 
      
        |  | (8)  Texas Division of Emergency Management; | 
      
        |  | (9)  Texas Military Department [ adjutant general's  | 
      
        |  | department]; | 
      
        |  | (10)  Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; | 
      
        |  | (11)  Railroad Commission of Texas; | 
      
        |  | (12)  Texas [ Strategic] Military Preparedness | 
      
        |  | [ Planning] Commission; | 
      
        |  | (13)  Texas Department of Transportation; | 
      
        |  | (14)  Commission on State Emergency Communications; | 
      
        |  | (15)  Office of State-Federal Relations; | 
      
        |  | (16)  secretary of state; | 
      
        |  | (17)  Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland | 
      
        |  | Security; | 
      
        |  | (18)  House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs; | 
      
        |  | (19)  Texas Animal Health Commission; | 
      
        |  | (20)  Texas Association of Regional Councils; | 
      
        |  | (21)  Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer | 
      
        |  | Standards and Education; | 
      
        |  | (22)  state fire marshal's office; | 
      
        |  | (23)  Texas Education Agency; | 
      
        |  | (24)  Texas Commission on Fire Protection; | 
      
        |  | (25)  Parks and Wildlife Department; | 
      
        |  | (26)  Texas Forest Service; and | 
      
        |  | (27)  Texas Water Development Board. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.04.  Section 432.072(a), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  A person not subject to this chapter commits an offense | 
      
        |  | if the person: | 
      
        |  | (1)  has been duly subpoenaed to appear as a witness or | 
      
        |  | to produce books and records before a military court or before a | 
      
        |  | military or civil officer or peace officer designated to take a | 
      
        |  | deposition to be read in evidence before a court; | 
      
        |  | (2)  has been duly paid or tendered by the Texas | 
      
        |  | Military Department [ adjutant general's department] the fees and | 
      
        |  | mileage of a witness at the rates allowed to witnesses under Section | 
      
        |  | 432.192; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  wilfully neglects or refuses to appear, qualify as | 
      
        |  | a witness, testify, or produce evidence that the person may have | 
      
        |  | been legally subpoenaed to produce. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.05.  Section 432.109(a), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The Texas Court of Military Appeals, located for | 
      
        |  | administrative purposes only in the Texas Military Department | 
      
        |  | [ adjutant general's department], consists of five judges appointed | 
      
        |  | by the adjutant general on the advice and recommendation of the | 
      
        |  | state judge advocate general for staggered six-year terms.  A judge | 
      
        |  | appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the | 
      
        |  | term for which the judge's predecessor was appointed shall be | 
      
        |  | appointed only for the unexpired term of his predecessor.  The | 
      
        |  | adjutant general, on the advice and recommendation of the state | 
      
        |  | judge advocate general, shall appoint the chief judge of the court. | 
      
        |  | A person is eligible for appointment to the court if the person: | 
      
        |  | (1)  is a member of the State Bar of Texas; | 
      
        |  | (2)  is a commissioned officer of the state military | 
      
        |  | forces, active or retired, or a retired commissioned officer in the | 
      
        |  | reserves of the armed forces of the United States; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  has been engaged in the active practice of law for | 
      
        |  | at least five years and has at least five years' experience as a | 
      
        |  | staff judge advocate, judge advocate, or legal officer with the | 
      
        |  | state military forces, except that the requirements of this | 
      
        |  | subdivision are satisfied by equivalent experience or practice in | 
      
        |  | the armed forces of the United States. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.06.  Section 432.192(b), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  A person not in the employ of this state and not | 
      
        |  | belonging to its active military forces, who has been duly summoned | 
      
        |  | to appear as a witness before a military court, is entitled to | 
      
        |  | receive $50 a day for each day actually in attendance on the court, | 
      
        |  | and 12 cents a mile for going from his place of residence to the | 
      
        |  | place of trial or hearing, and 12 cents a mile for returning. | 
      
        |  | Civilian witnesses will be paid by the Texas Military Department | 
      
        |  | [ adjutant general's department]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.07.  Section 432.194, Government Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 432.194.  EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION.  The adjutant | 
      
        |  | general may pay all expenses incurred in the administration of | 
      
        |  | state military justice, including the expenses of courts-martial | 
      
        |  | and expenses incurred under Sections 432.109, 432.184, and 432.192, | 
      
        |  | from any funds appropriated to the Texas Military Department | 
      
        |  | [ adjutant general's department]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.08.  Section 434.153, Government Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 434.153.  COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL.  The council is | 
      
        |  | composed of the executive head of the following agencies, or that | 
      
        |  | person's designated representative: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the Texas Veterans Commission; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the Veterans' Land Board; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the Texas Military Department [ adjutant general's  | 
      
        |  | department]; | 
      
        |  | (4)  the Health and Human Services Commission; and | 
      
        |  | (5)  the State Bar of Texas. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.09.  Section 1232.101(a), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  With respect to all bonds authorized to be issued by or | 
      
        |  | on behalf of the Texas Military Department [ adjutant general's  | 
      
        |  | department], Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Agricultural | 
      
        |  | Finance Authority, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal | 
      
        |  | Authority, Midwestern State University, and Texas Southern | 
      
        |  | University, the authority has the exclusive authority to act on | 
      
        |  | behalf of those entities in issuing bonds on their behalf.  In | 
      
        |  | connection with those issuances and with the issuance of refunding | 
      
        |  | bonds on behalf of those entities, the authority is subject to all | 
      
        |  | rights, duties, and conditions surrounding issuance previously | 
      
        |  | applicable to the issuing entity under the statute authorizing the | 
      
        |  | issuance.  A reference in an authorizing statute to the entity on | 
      
        |  | whose behalf the bonds are being issued applies equally to the | 
      
        |  | authority in its capacity as issuer on behalf of the entity. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.10.  Section 161.552(d), Health and Safety Code, | 
      
        |  | is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (d)  The department and commission shall develop and | 
      
        |  | maintain the directory in collaboration with local, state, and | 
      
        |  | national private and government organizations, including: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the United States Veterans Health Administration; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the United States Department of Defense; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the Texas Military Department [ adjutant general's  | 
      
        |  | department]; | 
      
        |  | (4)  the Texas Veterans Commission; and | 
      
        |  | (5)  other public and private national and | 
      
        |  | community-based organizations that provide support to | 
      
        |  | servicemembers and their families. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.11.  Section 461.017(a), Health and Safety Code, | 
      
        |  | is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  The Drug Demand Reduction Advisory Committee is | 
      
        |  | composed of the following members: | 
      
        |  | (1)  five representatives of the public from different | 
      
        |  | geographic regions of the state who have knowledge and expertise in | 
      
        |  | issues relating to reducing drug demand and who are appointed by the | 
      
        |  | commissioner of state health services [ the Department of State  | 
      
        |  | Health Services]; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  one representative of each of the following | 
      
        |  | agencies or offices who is appointed by the executive director or | 
      
        |  | commissioner of the agency or office and who is directly involved in | 
      
        |  | the agency's or office's policies, programs, or funding activities | 
      
        |  | relating to reducing drug demand: | 
      
        |  | (A)  the criminal justice division of the | 
      
        |  | governor's office; | 
      
        |  | (B)  the Criminal Justice Policy Council; | 
      
        |  | (C)  the Department of Family and Protective | 
      
        |  | Services; | 
      
        |  | (D)  the Department of Public Safety of the State | 
      
        |  | of Texas; | 
      
        |  | (E)  the Health and Human Services Commission; | 
      
        |  | (F)  the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; | 
      
        |  | (G)  the Department of State Health Services; | 
      
        |  | (H)  the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental | 
      
        |  | Impairments; | 
      
        |  | (I)  the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; | 
      
        |  | (J)  the Health and Human Services Commission; | 
      
        |  | (K)  the Department of Aging and Disability | 
      
        |  | Services; | 
      
        |  | (L)  the Texas Education Agency; | 
      
        |  | (M)  the Texas Juvenile Justice Department | 
      
        |  | [ Probation Commission; | 
      
        |  | [ (N)  the Texas Youth Commission]; | 
      
        |  | (N) [ (O)]  the Department of Assistive and | 
      
        |  | Rehabilitative Services; | 
      
        |  | (O) [ (P)]  the Texas Workforce Commission; | 
      
        |  | (P) [ (Q)]  the Texas Department of Motor | 
      
        |  | Vehicles; | 
      
        |  | (Q) [ (R)]  the comptroller of public accounts; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (R) [ (S)]  the Texas Military Department | 
      
        |  | [ adjutant general's department]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.12.  Section 31.156(e), Natural Resources Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (e)  In any year that the division will evaluate real | 
      
        |  | property under the management and control of the Texas Military | 
      
        |  | Department [ adjutant general's department], the division shall | 
      
        |  | notify the department before the division begins the evaluation. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.13.  Section 31.157(d), Natural Resources Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (d)  If under the Texas Military Department's [ adjutant  | 
      
        |  | general's] report submitted as provided by Section 437.154 | 
      
        |  | [ 431.030], Government Code, the department [adjutant general] | 
      
        |  | determines that real property under the management and control of | 
      
        |  | the [ adjutant general's] department is used for military purposes, | 
      
        |  | the commissioner may not recommend a real estate transaction | 
      
        |  | involving that real property in the final report submitted as | 
      
        |  | provided by Subsection (e). | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.14.  Sections 74.404(b), (c), and (d), Property | 
      
        |  | Code, are amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  A military award or decoration delivered to the | 
      
        |  | comptroller under this chapter: | 
      
        |  | (1)  may not be sold under Section 74.401 or destroyed; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (2)  shall be delivered by the comptroller to the Texas | 
      
        |  | Military Department [ adjutant general's department]. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The Texas Military Department [ adjutant general's  | 
      
        |  | department] shall conduct a reasonable search of public records to | 
      
        |  | locate the person to whom the military award or decoration was | 
      
        |  | awarded.  If the department cannot locate the person, the | 
      
        |  | department shall attempt to locate the person's next of kin.  If the | 
      
        |  | department locates the person or the person's next of kin, the | 
      
        |  | department shall deliver the award or decoration to the person or | 
      
        |  | the person's next of kin, as applicable. | 
      
        |  | (d)  If the Texas Military Department [ adjutant general's  | 
      
        |  | department] cannot locate the person to whom a military award or | 
      
        |  | decoration was awarded or the person's next of kin, the award or | 
      
        |  | decoration shall be held in trust for the comptroller at: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a museum established by the department; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  if no museum exists, any other public facility | 
      
        |  | designated by the department. | 
      
        |  | ARTICLE 3.  CONFORMING AMENDMENTS | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.01.  Section 721.002(a), Business & Commerce Code, | 
      
        |  | is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  A person commits an offense if the person uses, in an | 
      
        |  | advertisement for a commercial purpose, the name of an individual | 
      
        |  | who is an active duty or former member of the United States armed | 
      
        |  | forces, who is a member or former member of a reserve component of | 
      
        |  | the United States armed forces, or who is a member or former member | 
      
        |  | of the state military forces, as defined by Section 437.001 | 
      
        |  | [ 431.001], Government Code, or a picture of the individual in | 
      
        |  | uniform in which the individual is clearly identifiable, without | 
      
        |  | obtaining the consent of: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the individual, if the individual is living; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  the individual's surviving spouse or personal | 
      
        |  | representative or a majority of the individual's adult heirs, if | 
      
        |  | the individual is deceased. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.02.  Section 54.345(a), Education Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  For each semester, the adjutant general of the state | 
      
        |  | military forces shall certify to institutions of higher education | 
      
        |  | as described by Section 437.226 [ 431.090], Government Code, | 
      
        |  | information identifying the persons to whom the adjutant general | 
      
        |  | has awarded assistance for tuition and mandatory fees under that | 
      
        |  | section. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.03.  Section 411.121(a), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  In this section: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Adjutant general" has the meaning assigned by | 
      
        |  | Section 437.001 [ 431.022]. | 
      
        |  | (2)  "State military forces" has the meaning assigned | 
      
        |  | by Section 437.001 [ 431.001]. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.04.  Section 411.1881(a), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, | 
      
        |  | a person may not be required to complete the range instruction | 
      
        |  | portion of a handgun proficiency course to obtain or renew a | 
      
        |  | concealed handgun license issued under this subchapter if the | 
      
        |  | person: | 
      
        |  | (1)  is currently serving in or is honorably discharged | 
      
        |  | from: | 
      
        |  | (A)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or | 
      
        |  | marine corps of the United States or an auxiliary service or reserve | 
      
        |  | unit of one of those branches of the armed forces; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  the state military forces, as defined by | 
      
        |  | Section 437.001 [ 431.001]; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  has, within the five years preceding the date of | 
      
        |  | the person's application for an original or renewed license, as | 
      
        |  | applicable, completed a course of training in handgun proficiency | 
      
        |  | or familiarization as part of the person's service with the armed | 
      
        |  | forces or state military forces. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.05.  Section 411.1951(a), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  In this section, "veteran" means a person who: | 
      
        |  | (1)  has served in: | 
      
        |  | (A)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or | 
      
        |  | marine corps of the United States; | 
      
        |  | (B)  the state military forces as defined by | 
      
        |  | Section 437.001 [ 431.001]; or | 
      
        |  | (C)  an auxiliary service of one of those branches | 
      
        |  | of the armed forces; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  has been honorably discharged from the branch of | 
      
        |  | the service in which the person served. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.06.  Section 418.006, Government Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 418.006.  CIVIL LIABILITY.  An officer or employee of a | 
      
        |  | state or local agency, or a volunteer acting at the direction of an | 
      
        |  | officer or employee of a state or local agency, is considered for | 
      
        |  | purposes of Section 437.222  [ 431.085] to be a member of the state | 
      
        |  | military forces ordered into active service of the state by proper | 
      
        |  | authority and is considered to be discharging a duty in that | 
      
        |  | capacity if the person is performing an activity related to | 
      
        |  | sheltering or housing individuals in connection with the evacuation | 
      
        |  | of an area stricken or threatened by disaster. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.07.  Sections 421.061(a), (b), and (d), Government | 
      
        |  | Code, are amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  An officer or employee of a state or local agency | 
      
        |  | performing a homeland security activity or a volunteer performing a | 
      
        |  | homeland security activity at the request or under the direction of | 
      
        |  | an officer or employee of a state or local agency is considered for | 
      
        |  | purposes of Section 437.222 [ 431.085] to be a member of the state | 
      
        |  | military forces ordered into active service of the state by proper | 
      
        |  | authority and is considered to be discharging a duty in that | 
      
        |  | capacity if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the officer, employee, or volunteer is performing | 
      
        |  | the homeland security activity under procedures prescribed or | 
      
        |  | circumstances described for the purpose of this section in the | 
      
        |  | governor's homeland security strategy; | 
      
        |  | (2)  in the case of a volunteer, the volunteer is acting | 
      
        |  | within the course and scope of the request or direction of the | 
      
        |  | officer or employee of the state or local agency; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  in the case of an officer or employee of a state or | 
      
        |  | local agency, the officer or employee is acting within the course | 
      
        |  | and scope of the person's authority. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A person described by Subsection (a) is not immune from | 
      
        |  | civil liability under Section 437.222 [ 431.085] for damages | 
      
        |  | resulting from the performance of a homeland security activity if, | 
      
        |  | under the circumstances, the person's performance of the homeland | 
      
        |  | security activity was wilfully or wantonly negligent or done with | 
      
        |  | conscious indifference or reckless disregard for the safety of | 
      
        |  | persons this chapter is intended to protect. | 
      
        |  | (d)  This section does not affect the application of Section | 
      
        |  | 437.222 [ 431.085] on its own terms to a person who is a member of the | 
      
        |  | state military forces ordered into active service of the state by | 
      
        |  | proper authority under other law. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.08.  Section 661.903, Government Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 661.903.  NATIONAL GUARD EMERGENCY.  A state employee | 
      
        |  | who is called to state active duty as a member of the state military | 
      
        |  | forces by the governor because of an emergency is entitled to a | 
      
        |  | leave of absence without a deduction in salary in accordance with | 
      
        |  | Section 437.254 [ 431.0825].  A state employee who is called to | 
      
        |  | federal active duty as a member of the state military forces may not | 
      
        |  | receive the employee's state salary except as provided by Sections | 
      
        |  | 661.904(d) and (f) and 661.9041. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.09.  Section 1232.1025(b), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  After receiving a request under Section 437.153 | 
      
        |  | [ 431.0292 or 431.0302(c)], the board shall promptly issue and sell | 
      
        |  | bonds in the name of the authority to provide the requested | 
      
        |  | financing. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.10.  Section 2308.251(2), Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (2)  "Veteran" means a person who: | 
      
        |  | (A)  has served in: | 
      
        |  | (i)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard, | 
      
        |  | or marine corps of the United States or the United States Public | 
      
        |  | Health Service under 42 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq., as amended; | 
      
        |  | (ii)  the state military forces as defined | 
      
        |  | by Section 437.001 [ 431.001]; or | 
      
        |  | (iii)  an auxiliary service of one of those | 
      
        |  | branches of the armed forces; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  has been honorably discharged from the branch | 
      
        |  | of the service in which the person served. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.11.  Section 161.551(3), Health and Safety Code, | 
      
        |  | is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (3)  "Servicemember" means a resident of this state who | 
      
        |  | is a member or former member of the state military forces or a | 
      
        |  | component of the United States armed forces, including a reserve | 
      
        |  | component.  In this section, "state military forces" has the | 
      
        |  | meaning assigned by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.12.  Sections 775.039(d) and (e), Health and | 
      
        |  | Safety Code, are amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (d)  The differential pay provided by Subsection (a) begins | 
      
        |  | when the benefits allowed under Section 437.202 [ 431.005], | 
      
        |  | Government Code, are exhausted and continues until the employee's | 
      
        |  | active military duty terminates. | 
      
        |  | (e)  The board may extend the insurance benefits provided by | 
      
        |  | the district to a district employee who is a member of the state | 
      
        |  | military forces or a reserve component of the United States armed | 
      
        |  | forces who is called to active duty and to the employee's | 
      
        |  | dependents.  The extension period begins when the benefits allowed | 
      
        |  | under Section 437.202 [ 431.005], Government Code, are exhausted and | 
      
        |  | continues until the employee's active military duty terminates. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.13.  Section 1001.076(a), Health and Safety Code, | 
      
        |  | is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  In this section, "veteran" means a person who: | 
      
        |  | (1)  has served in: | 
      
        |  | (A)  the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or | 
      
        |  | marine corps of the United States; | 
      
        |  | (B)  the state military forces as defined by | 
      
        |  | Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code; or | 
      
        |  | (C)  an auxiliary service of one of those branches | 
      
        |  | of the armed forces; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  has been honorably discharged from the branch of | 
      
        |  | the service in which the person served. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.14.  Section 408.0445(a), Labor Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  For purposes of computing income benefits or death | 
      
        |  | benefits under Section 437.227  [ 431.104], Government Code, the | 
      
        |  | average weekly wage of a member of the state military forces as | 
      
        |  | defined by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code, who is | 
      
        |  | engaged in authorized training or duty is an amount equal to the sum | 
      
        |  | of the member's regular weekly wage at any employment the member | 
      
        |  | holds in addition to serving as a member of the state military | 
      
        |  | forces, disregarding any period during which the member is not | 
      
        |  | fully compensated for that employment because the member is engaged | 
      
        |  | in authorized military training or duty, and the member's regular | 
      
        |  | weekly wage as a member of the state military forces, except that | 
      
        |  | the amount may not exceed 100 percent of the state average weekly | 
      
        |  | wage as determined under Section 408.047. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.15.  Section 501.001(5), Labor Code, is amended to | 
      
        |  | read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (5)  "Employee" means a person who is: | 
      
        |  | (A)  in the service of the state pursuant to an | 
      
        |  | election, appointment, or express oral or written contract of hire; | 
      
        |  | (B)  paid from state funds but whose duties | 
      
        |  | require that the person work and frequently receive supervision in | 
      
        |  | a political subdivision of the state; | 
      
        |  | (C)  a peace officer employed by a political | 
      
        |  | subdivision, while the peace officer is exercising authority | 
      
        |  | granted under: | 
      
        |  | (i)  Article 2.12, Code of Criminal | 
      
        |  | Procedure; or | 
      
        |  | (ii)  Articles 14.03(d) and (g), Code of | 
      
        |  | Criminal Procedure; | 
      
        |  | (D)  a member of the state military forces, as | 
      
        |  | defined by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code, who is | 
      
        |  | engaged in authorized training or duty; or | 
      
        |  | (E)  a Texas Task Force 1 member, as defined by | 
      
        |  | Section 88.301, Education Code, who is activated by the Texas | 
      
        |  | Division of Emergency Management or is injured during training | 
      
        |  | sponsored or sanctioned by Texas Task Force 1. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.16.  Section 392.067(a), Local Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  In this section, "veteran" means a person who has served | 
      
        |  | on active duty in the armed forces of the United States or in the | 
      
        |  | state military forces as defined by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], | 
      
        |  | Government Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.17.  Section 1804.001(1), Occupations Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Veteran" means a person who has served on active | 
      
        |  | duty in the armed forces of the United States or in the state | 
      
        |  | military forces as defined by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government | 
      
        |  | Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.18.  Section 31.121(a)(2), Parks and Wildlife | 
      
        |  | Code, is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (2)  "State military forces" has the meaning assigned | 
      
        |  | by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.19.  Section 32.54(a)(2), Penal Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (2)  "State military forces" has the meaning assigned | 
      
        |  | by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.20.  Sections 46.15(b), (d), and (f), Penal Code, | 
      
        |  | are amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  Section 46.02 does not apply to a person who: | 
      
        |  | (1)  is in the actual discharge of official duties as a | 
      
        |  | member of the armed forces or state military forces as defined by | 
      
        |  | Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code, or as a guard employed | 
      
        |  | by a penal institution; | 
      
        |  | (2)  is traveling; | 
      
        |  | (3)  is engaging in lawful hunting, fishing, or other | 
      
        |  | sporting activity on the immediate premises where the activity is | 
      
        |  | conducted, or is en route between the premises and the actor's | 
      
        |  | residence, motor vehicle, or watercraft, if the weapon is a type | 
      
        |  | commonly used in the activity; | 
      
        |  | (4)  holds a security officer commission issued by the | 
      
        |  | Texas Private Security Board, if the person is engaged in the | 
      
        |  | performance of the person's duties as an officer commissioned under | 
      
        |  | Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, or is traveling to or from the | 
      
        |  | person's place of assignment and is wearing the officer's uniform | 
      
        |  | and carrying the officer's weapon in plain view; | 
      
        |  | (5)  acts as a personal protection officer and carries | 
      
        |  | the person's security officer commission and personal protection | 
      
        |  | officer authorization, if the person: | 
      
        |  | (A)  is engaged in the performance of the person's | 
      
        |  | duties as a personal protection officer under Chapter 1702, | 
      
        |  | Occupations Code, or is traveling to or from the person's place of | 
      
        |  | assignment; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  is either: | 
      
        |  | (i)  wearing the uniform of a security | 
      
        |  | officer, including any uniform or apparel described by Section | 
      
        |  | 1702.323(d), Occupations Code, and carrying the officer's weapon in | 
      
        |  | plain view; or | 
      
        |  | (ii)  not wearing the uniform of a security | 
      
        |  | officer and carrying the officer's weapon in a concealed manner; | 
      
        |  | (6)  is carrying a concealed handgun and a valid | 
      
        |  | license issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, to | 
      
        |  | carry a concealed handgun of the same category as the handgun the | 
      
        |  | person is carrying; | 
      
        |  | (7)  holds an alcoholic beverage permit or license or | 
      
        |  | is an employee of a holder of an alcoholic beverage permit or | 
      
        |  | license if the person is supervising the operation of the permitted | 
      
        |  | or licensed premises; or | 
      
        |  | (8)  is a student in a law enforcement class engaging in | 
      
        |  | an activity required as part of the class, if the weapon is a type | 
      
        |  | commonly used in the activity and the person is: | 
      
        |  | (A)  on the immediate premises where the activity | 
      
        |  | is conducted; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  en route between those premises and the | 
      
        |  | person's residence and is carrying the weapon unloaded. | 
      
        |  | (d)  The provisions of Section 46.02 prohibiting the | 
      
        |  | carrying of a firearm or carrying of a club do not apply to a public | 
      
        |  | security officer employed by the adjutant general under Section | 
      
        |  | 437.053 [ 431.029], Government Code, in performance of official | 
      
        |  | duties or while traveling to or from a place of duty. | 
      
        |  | (f)  Section 46.03(a)(6) does not apply to a person who | 
      
        |  | possesses a firearm or club while in the actual discharge of | 
      
        |  | official duties as: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a member of the armed forces or state military | 
      
        |  | forces, as defined by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government Code; | 
      
        |  | or | 
      
        |  | (2)  an employee of a penal institution. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.21.  Section 151.344, Tax Code, is amended to read | 
      
        |  | as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 151.344.  POST EXCHANGES ON STATE MILITARY PROPERTY. | 
      
        |  | (a)  A taxable item sold, leased, or rented to, or stored, used, or | 
      
        |  | consumed by, a post exchange under Section 437.110 [ 431.040], | 
      
        |  | Government Code, is exempt from the taxes imposed by this chapter. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A taxable item sold, leased, or rented by a post | 
      
        |  | exchange under Section 437.110 [ 431.040], Government Code, is | 
      
        |  | exempt from the taxes imposed by this chapter. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.22.  Section 521.1235(a), Transportation Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  In this section, "veteran" means a person who: | 
      
        |  | (1)  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 [ 431.001], Government Code; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  has been honorably discharged from the branch of | 
      
        |  | the service in which the person served. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.23.  Section 36.354(g), Utilities Code, is amended | 
      
        |  | to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (g)  For the purposes of this section, the term "military | 
      
        |  | base" does not include a military base: | 
      
        |  | (1)  that has been closed or realigned under the | 
      
        |  | Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. Section | 
      
        |  | 2687) and its subsequent amendments; | 
      
        |  | (2)  that is administered by an authority established | 
      
        |  | by a municipality under Chapter 379B [ 378], Local Government Code | 
      
        |  | [ , as added by Chapter 1221, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular  | 
      
        |  | Session, 1999]; | 
      
        |  | (3)  that is operated by or for the benefit of the Texas | 
      
        |  | National Guard, as defined by Section 437.001 [ 431.001], Government | 
      
        |  | Code, unless the base is served by a municipally owned utility owned | 
      
        |  | by a city with a population of 650,000 or more; or | 
      
        |  | (4)  for which a municipally owned utility has acquired | 
      
        |  | the electric distribution system under 10 U.S.C. Section 2688. | 
      
        |  | ARTICLE 4. REPEALER AND EFFECTIVE DATE | 
      
        |  | SECTION 4.01.  Subchapters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I, | 
      
        |  | Chapter 431, Government Code, are repealed. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 4.02.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |