TO:	Honorable Kelly Hancock, Chair, Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB493 by Hughes (Relating to qualifications for certain individuals for veterans benefits.), As Introduced

The bill would amend the Government Code for the purposes of determining qualifications for any veterans benefits or services from the state. The bill would provide that a former member of the United States armed forces who received a less than honorable discharge due to the individual's refusal to receive a vaccination against COVID-19 be considered to receive an honorable discharge. For a discharge of a former member of the United States armed forced to be considered honorable, the individual must prove to the Texas Veterans Commission that the refusal to receive a vaccination against COVID-19 was the sole reason for the less than honorable discharge. 

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.