Relating to inclusion of the United States Space Force in United States military and veteran statutory definitions.

89(R) HB 2210 - Introduced version - Bill Text

89R6380 LRM-D

By: Bumgarner

H.B. No. 2210

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to inclusion of the United States Space Force in United

States military and veteran statutory definitions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 54.241(b), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) A person who is an officer, enlisted person, selectee,

or draftee of the Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Air

National Guard, Air Force, Air Force Reserve,
Space Force,
Navy,

Navy Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard, or

Coast Guard Reserve of the United States, who is assigned to duty in

Texas, and the spouse and children of such an officer, enlisted

person, selectee, or draftee, are entitled to register in a state

institution of higher education by paying the tuition fee and other

fees or charges required of Texas residents, without regard to the

length of time the officer, enlisted person, selectee, or draftee

has been assigned to duty or resided in the state. However,

out-of-state Army National Guard or Air National Guard members

attending training with Texas Army or Air National Guard units

under National Guard Bureau regulations may not be exempted from

nonresident tuition by virtue of that training status nor may

out-of-state Army, Air Force,
Space Force,
Navy, Marine Corps, or

Coast Guard Reserves training with units in Texas under similar

regulations be exempted from nonresident tuition by virtue of that

training status. It is the intent of the legislature that only

those members of the Army or Air National Guard or other reserve

forces mentioned above be exempted from the nonresident tuition fee

and other fees and charges only when they become members of Texas

units of the military organizations mentioned above.

SECTION 2. Section 136.001(5), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(5) "Veteran" means a person who has served in:

(A) the army, navy, air force,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(B) the state military forces as defined by

Section 431.001, Government Code, other than the Texas State Guard;

or

(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches

of the armed forces.

SECTION 3. Section 171.0251(a), Election Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "armed forces of the United States"

means the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United

States Air Force,
the United States Space Force,
the United States

Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, any reserve or

auxiliary component of any of those services, or the National

Guard.

SECTION 4. Section 411.1410(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "agency of the United States armed

forces" means the United States Army, the United States Navy, the

United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, [
or
] the

United States Air Force
, or the United States Space Force
.

SECTION 5. 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 a license issued

under this subchapter if the person:

(1) is currently serving in or is honorably discharged

from:

(A) the army, navy, air force,
space 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 Texas military forces, as defined by

Section 437.001; and

(2) has, within the 10 years preceding the date of the

person's application for the license, completed as part of the

person's service with the armed forces or Texas military forces:

(A) a course of training in firearm proficiency

or familiarization; or

(B) a range qualification process for firearm

usage.

SECTION 6. 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,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(B) the Texas military forces as defined by

Section 437.001; 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 7. Section 434.022(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "veteran" means a person who has served

in:

(1) the army, navy, air force,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States; or

(2) the Texas National Guard as defined by Section

431.001.

SECTION 8. Section 434.023(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "veteran" means a person who has served

in:

(1) the army, navy, air force,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States; or

(2) the Texas National Guard as defined by Section

431.001.

SECTION 9. Section 434.351(3), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(3) "Veteran" means a person who has served in:

(A) the army, navy, air force,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(B) the state military forces as defined by

Section 431.001; or

(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches

of the armed forces.

SECTION 10. Section 526.0602(a), Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "service member" means a member of the

United States military serving in the army, navy, air force,
space

force,
marine corps, or coast guard on active duty.

SECTION 11. Section 531.0931(a), Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "military member" means a member of the

United States military serving in the army, navy, air force,
space

force,
marine corps, or coast guard on active duty.

SECTION 12. Section 552.117(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) Information is excepted from the requirements of

Section 552.021 if it is information that relates to the home

address, home telephone number, emergency contact information, or

social security number of the following person or that reveals

whether the person has family members:

(1) a current or former official or employee of a

governmental body, except as otherwise provided by Section 552.024;

(2) a current or honorably retired peace officer as

defined by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a current

or honorably retired security officer commissioned under Section

51.212, Education Code, regardless of whether the officer complies

with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable;

(3) a current or former employee of the Texas

Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of

the department or any division of the department, regardless of

whether the current or former employee complies with Section

552.1175;

(4) a peace officer as defined by Article 2A.001, Code

of Criminal Procedure, or other law, a reserve law enforcement

officer, a commissioned deputy game warden, or a corrections

officer in a municipal, county, or state penal institution in this

state who was killed in the line of duty, regardless of whether the

deceased complied with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(5) a commissioned security officer as defined by

Section 1702.002, Occupations Code, regardless of whether the

officer complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable;

(6) an officer or employee of a community supervision

and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who

performs a duty described by Section 76.004(b), regardless of

whether the officer or employee complies with Section 552.024 or

552.1175;

(7) a current or former employee of the office of the

attorney general who is or was assigned to a division of that office

the duties of which involve law enforcement or are performed under

Chapter 231, Family Code, regardless of whether the current or

former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(8) a current or former employee of the Texas Juvenile

Justice Department or of the predecessors in function of the

department, regardless of whether the current or former employee

complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(9) a current or former juvenile probation or

supervision officer certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice

Department, or the predecessors in function of the department,

under Title 12, Human Resources Code, regardless of whether the

current or former officer complies with Section 552.024 or

552.1175;

(10) a current or former employee of a juvenile

justice program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section

261.405, Family Code, regardless of whether the current or former

employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(11) a current or former member of the United States

Army, Navy, Air Force,
Space Force,
Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, an

auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed forces, or

the Texas military forces, as that term is defined by Section

437.001;

(12) a current or former district attorney, criminal

district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose

jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services

matters, regardless of whether the current or former attorney

complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(13) a current or former employee of a district

attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal

attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child

protective services matters, regardless of whether the current or

former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(14) a current or former employee of the Texas Civil

Commitment Office or of the predecessor in function of the office or

a division of the office, regardless of whether the current or

former employee complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(15) a current or former federal judge or state judge,

as those terms are defined by Section 1.005, Election Code, a

federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals

Service, a United States attorney, or a family member of a current

or former federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy judge, a

marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a United States

attorney, or a state judge;

(16) a current or former child protective services

caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator

for the Department of Family and Protective Services, regardless of

whether the caseworker or investigator complies with Section

552.024 or 552.1175, or a current or former employee of a department

contractor performing child protective services caseworker, adult

protective services caseworker, or investigator functions for the

contractor on behalf of the department;

(17) an elected public officer, regardless of whether

the officer complies with Section 552.024 or 552.1175;

(18) a current or former United States attorney,

assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy

federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender and

the spouse or child of the current or former attorney or public

defender, regardless of whether the person complies with Section

552.024 or 552.1175; or

(19) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or

emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003,

Health and Safety Code, regardless of whether the firefighter or

volunteer firefighter or emergency medical services personnel

comply with Section 552.024 or 552.1175, as applicable.

SECTION 13. Section 552.1175(a), Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) This section applies only to:

(1) current or honorably retired peace officers as

defined by Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or special

investigators as described by Article 2A.002, Code of Criminal

Procedure;

(2) current or honorably retired county jailers as

defined by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code;

(3) current or former employees of the Texas

Department of Criminal Justice or of the predecessor in function of

the department or any division of the department;

(4) commissioned security officers as defined by

Section 1702.002, Occupations Code;

(5) a current or former district attorney, criminal

district attorney, or county or municipal attorney whose

jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child protective services

matters;

(5-a) a current or former employee of a district

attorney, criminal district attorney, or county or municipal

attorney whose jurisdiction includes any criminal law or child

protective services matters;

(6) officers and employees of a community supervision

and corrections department established under Chapter 76 who perform

a duty described by Section 76.004(b);

(7) criminal investigators of the United States as

described by Article 2A.002(a), Code of Criminal Procedure;

(8) current or honorably retired police officers and

inspectors of the United States Federal Protective Service;

(9) current and former employees of the office of the

attorney general who are or were assigned to a division of that

office the duties of which involve law enforcement or are performed

under Chapter 231, Family Code;

(10) current or former juvenile probation and

detention officers certified by the Texas Juvenile Justice

Department, or the predecessors in function of the department,

under Title 12, Human Resources Code;

(11) current or former employees of a juvenile justice

program or facility, as those terms are defined by Section 261.405,

Family Code;

(12) current or former employees of the Texas Juvenile

Justice Department or the predecessors in function of the

department;

(13) federal judges and state judges as defined by

Section 1.005, Election Code;

(14) current or former employees of the Texas Civil

Commitment Office or of the predecessor in function of the office or

a division of the office;

(15) a current or former member of the United States

Army, Navy, Air Force,
Space Force,
Coast Guard, or Marine Corps, an

auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed forces, or

the Texas military forces, as that term is defined by Section

437.001;

(16) a current or former child protective services

caseworker, adult protective services caseworker, or investigator

for the Department of Family and Protective Services or a current or

former employee of a department contractor performing child

protective services caseworker, adult protective services

caseworker, or investigator functions for the contractor on behalf

of the department;

(17) an elected public officer;

(18) a firefighter or volunteer firefighter or

emergency medical services personnel as defined by Section 773.003,

Health and Safety Code; and

(19) a current or former United States attorney,

assistant United States attorney, federal public defender, deputy

federal public defender, or assistant federal public defender.

SECTION 14. Section 2303.003(9), Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(9) "Veteran" means a person who:

(A) has served in:

(i) the army, navy, air force,
space force,

coast guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(ii) the state military forces as defined

by Section 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 15. 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,
space 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 Texas military forces as defined

by Section 437.001; 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 16. Section 259.002(a), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) A health care facility licensed by the department under

this subtitle or owned or operated by the state may not employ a

person to practice surgical technology in that health care facility

unless that person provides evidence that the person:

(1) has successfully completed an accredited

educational program for surgical technologists and holds and

maintains certification as a surgical technologist by:

(A) the National Board of Surgical Technology and

Surgical Assisting or its successor;

(B) the National Center for Competency Testing or

its successor; or

(C) another surgical technologist certification

program approved by the department;

(2) has completed an appropriate training program for

surgical technology in the army, navy, air force,
space force,

marine corps, or coast guard of the United States or in the United

States Public Health Service;

(3) was employed to practice surgical technology in a

health care facility before September 1, 2009; or

(4) is in the service of the federal government, to the

extent the person is performing duties related to that service.

SECTION 17. Section 716.001(16), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(16) "Veteran" means an individual who:

(A) has served in:

(i) the army, navy, air force,
space force,

coast guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(ii) the state military forces as defined

by Section 431.001, Government Code; 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 individual served.

SECTION 18. Section 773.050(c-1), Health and Safety Code,

is amended to read as follows:

(c-1) In this subsection, "United States military" means

the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States

Air Force,
the United States Space Force,
the United States Marine

Corps, the United States Coast Guard, any reserve or auxiliary

component of any of those services, or the National Guard. The

executive commissioner by rule shall provide that an individual is

eligible for emergency medical services personnel certification

through reciprocity if the individual:

(1) successfully completed emergency medical services

training provided by the United States military;

(2) has emergency medical services personnel

credentials from the United States military; and

(3) is certified by the National Registry of Emergency

Medical Technicians.

SECTION 19. Section 1001.221(2), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(2) "Veteran" means a person who has served in:

(A) the army, navy, air force,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(B) the state military forces as defined by

Section 431.001, Government Code; or

(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches

of the armed forces.

SECTION 20. Section 137.201, Human Resources Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 137.201. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "veteran"

means a person who has served in:

(1) the army, navy, air force,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(2) the state military forces as defined by Section

431.001, Government Code; or

(3) an auxiliary service of one of those branches of

the armed forces.

SECTION 21. Section 501.002(12), Local Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(12) "Primary job" means:

(A) a job that is:

(i) available at a company for which a

majority of the products or services of that company are ultimately

exported to regional, statewide, national, or international

markets infusing new dollars into the local economy; and

(ii) included in one of the following

sectors of the North American Industry Classification System

(NAICS):

NAICS Sector #

Description

111

Crop Production

112

Animal Production

113

Forestry and Logging

11411

Commercial Fishing

115

Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry

211-213

Mining

221

Utilities

311-339

Manufacturing

42

Wholesale Trade

48-49

Transportation and Warehousing

51 (excluding 512131 and 512132)

Information (excluding motion picture theaters and drive-in motion picture theaters)

523-525

Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities;
Insurance Carriers and Related Activities; Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles

5413, 5415, 5416, 5417, and 5419

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services; Computer System Design and Related
Services; Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services; Scientific Research
and Development Services; Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

551

Management of Companies and Enterprises

56142

Telephone Call Centers

922140

Correctional Institutions; or

(B) a job that is included in North American

Industry Classification System (NAICS) sector number 928110,

National Security, for the corresponding index entries for Armed

Forces, Army, Navy, Air Force,
Space Force,
Marine Corps, and

Military Bases.

SECTION 22. Section 161.001(a)(7), Natural Resources Code,

is amended to read as follows:

(7) "Veteran" means a person who:

(A)(i) served not less than 90 days, unless

sooner discharged by reason of a service-connected disability, on

active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Space Force,
Coast Guard,

United States Public Health Service (as constituted under 42 U.S.C.

Section 201 et seq.), or Marine Corps of the United States after

September 16, 1940, and who on the date of filing an application

under the program has not been dishonorably discharged from the

branch of the service in which the person served;

(ii) has at least 20 years of active or

reserve military service as computed when determining the person's

eligibility to receive retired pay under applicable federal law;

(iii) has enlisted or received an

appointment in the Texas National Guard, who has completed all

initial active duty training required as a condition of the

enlistment or appointment, and who on the date of filing the

person's application has not been dishonorably discharged from the

Texas National Guard; or

(iv) served in the armed forces of the

Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, if

the board adopts a rule regarding these veterans under Subsection

(b);

(B) at the time of the person's enlistment,

induction, commissioning, appointment, or drafting was a bona fide

resident of this state or has resided in this state at least one

year immediately before the date of filing an application under

this chapter; and

(C) at the time of the person's application under

this chapter is a bona fide resident of this state. The term

includes the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died or who

is identified as missing in action if the deceased or missing

veteran meets the requirements of this section, with the exception

that the deceased or missing veteran need not have served 90 days

under Paragraph (A)(i) of this subdivision, and if the deceased or

missing veteran was a bona fide resident of this state at the time

of enlistment, induction, commissioning, appointment, or drafting.

SECTION 23. Section 202.304(a), Occupations Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), this section

applies to a podiatrist whose license has been suspended or

revoked, or whose most recently issued renewal certificate has

expired, while the podiatrist has been:

(1) engaged in federal service or on active duty with:

(A) the United States Army;

(B) the United States Navy;

(C) the United States Marine Corps;

(D) the United States Coast Guard; [
or
]

(E) the United States Air Force;
or

(F) the United States Space Force;

(2) called into service or training of the United

States; or

(3) in training or education under the supervision of

the United States before induction into military service.

SECTION 24. Section 451.003, Occupations Code, is amended

to read as follows:

Sec. 451.003. APPLICABILITY. This chapter does not apply

to:

(1) a physician licensed by the Texas Medical Board or

engaged in the practice of medicine as authorized by Section

151.0521;

(2) a dentist, licensed under the laws of this state,

engaged in the practice of dentistry;

(3) a licensed optometrist or therapeutic optometrist

engaged in the practice of optometry or therapeutic optometry as

defined by statute;

(4) an occupational therapist engaged in the practice

of occupational therapy;

(5) a nurse engaged in the practice of nursing;

(6) a licensed podiatrist engaged in the practice of

podiatry as defined by statute;

(7) a physical therapist engaged in the practice of

physical therapy;

(8) a registered massage therapist engaged in the

practice of massage therapy;

(9) a commissioned or contract physician, physical

therapist, or physical therapist assistant in the United States

Army, Navy, Air Force,
Space Force,
or Public Health Service; or

(10) an athletic trainer who does not live in this

state, who is licensed, registered, or certified by an authority

recognized by the department, and who provides athletic training in

this state for a period determined by the department.

SECTION 25. Section 1701.265(a), Occupations Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "veteran" means a person who has served

in:

(1) the army, navy, air force,
space force,
coast

guard, or marine corps of the United States; or

(2) the Texas National Guard as defined by Section

431.001, Government Code.

SECTION 26. Section 312.0021(a)(1), Tax Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(1) "Military aviation facility" means a base,

station, fort, or camp at which fixed-wing aviation operations or

training is conducted by the United States Air Force, the United

States Air Force Reserve,
the United States Space Force,
the United

States Army, the United States Army Reserve, the United States

Navy, the United States Navy Reserve, the United States Marine

Corps, the United States Marine Corps Reserve, the United States

Coast Guard, the United States Coast Guard Reserve, or the Texas

National Guard.

SECTION 27. Section 521.1235(a)(3), Transportation Code,

is amended to read as follows:

(3) "Veteran" means a person who:

(A) has served in:

(i) the army, navy, air force,
space force,

coast guard, or marine corps of the United States; or

(ii) the Texas National Guard as defined by

Section 437.001, Government Code; and

(B) has been honorably discharged from the branch

of the service in which the person served.

SECTION 28. The changes in law made by this Act are intended

to clarify rather than change existing law.

SECTION 29. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.