1. (a) In this section, "COVID-19" means the 2019 novel coronavirus disease.
2. (b) For purposes of determining qualifications for any veterans benefits or services from the state, 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 shall be considered to have received an honorable discharge.

3. (c) For a discharge of a former member of the United States armed forces to be considered honorable under Subsection (b), the former member of the United States armed forces must prove to the Texas Veterans Commission that the individual's refusal to receive a vaccination against COVID-19 was the sole reason for the individual's less than honorable discharge.

   Redesignated from Government Code, Section 434.029 by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 204 (H.B. 1620), Sec. 22.001(13), eff. September 1, 2025.

Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1067 (S.B. 493), Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2023.