88R3753 JCG-D
 
  By: Johnson of Dallas, Wilson, Bumgarner, H.B. No. 3031
      Garcia, et al.
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a grant program for members of the Texas military forces
  experiencing financial hardship caused by a tax withholding error.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 437, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 437.233 to read as follows:
         Sec. 437.233.  GRANT PROGRAM FOR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP CAUSED
  BY TAX WITHHOLDING ERROR. (a) The department shall establish and
  administer a grant program to assist members of the Texas military
  forces who experience financial hardship caused by a federal tax
  withholding error in connection with the compensation paid to
  members who served in Operation Lone Star in 2021 or 2022.
         (b)  A member of the Texas military forces is eligible for a
  grant under this section if:
               (1)  the department erroneously withheld an
  insufficient amount from the member's compensation for service in
  Operation Lone Star in 2021 or 2022 to cover the federal income tax
  imposed on that compensation;
               (2)  the member certifies in the grant application that
  the member did not have actual knowledge of the withholding error;
  and
               (3)  the member demonstrates that the withholding error
  caused the member financial hardship.
         (c)  The department:
               (1)  may establish additional eligibility criteria for
  grant applicants; and
               (2)  shall establish:
                     (A)  grant application procedures;
                     (B)  guidelines relating to grant amounts that
  ensure that a grant to a member does not exceed the difference
  between the amount the member owed in federal income taxes on
  compensation the member received for service in Operation Lone Star
  in 2021 or 2022 and the amount withheld for federal income taxes;
  and
                     (C)  criteria for evaluating grant applications.
         (d)  Not later than December 1, 2024, the department shall
  report to the governor and the legislature on the results and
  performance of the grant program.
         (e)  This section expires January 1, 2025.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.