Bill adds justices of the peace to state death benefits

The text as introduced · 1,176 words

89R9670 JCG-D

By: Holt
H.B. No. 3626

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to coroners, including certain state benefits and awards

and membership on the First Responder Advisory Council.

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

SECTION 1. Section 421.041(b), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(b) The council is composed of:

(1) one representative for each of the following

sectors of the state, appointed by the governor or the governor's

designee:

(A) law enforcement;

(B) firefighters;

(C) private first responders; [ and ]

(D) emergency medical services; and

(E) coroners, as represented by a justice of the

peace or medical examiner required to conduct inquests under

Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure; and

(2) other members, as determined by the governor or

the governor's designee.

SECTION 2. Section 615.003, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 615.003. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to

eligible survivors of the following individuals:

(1) an individual:

(A) elected, appointed, or employed as a peace

officer by the state or a political subdivision of the state under

Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law; or

(B) employed as a peace officer by a private

institution of higher education, including a private junior

college, that is located in this state under Section 51.212,

Education Code;

(2) a paid probation officer appointed by the director

of a community supervision and corrections department who has the

duties set out in Section 76.002 and the qualifications set out in

Section 76.005, or who was appointed in accordance with prior law;

(3) a parole officer employed by the Texas Department

of Criminal Justice who has the duties set out in Section 508.001

and the qualifications set out in Section 508.113 or in prior law;

(4) a paid jailer;

(5) a member of an organized police reserve or

auxiliary unit who regularly assists peace officers in enforcing

criminal laws;

(6) a member of the class of employees of the

correctional institutions division formally designated as

custodial personnel under Section 615.006 by the Texas Board of

Criminal Justice or its predecessor in function;

(7) a jailer or guard of a county jail who is appointed

by the sheriff and who:

(A) performs a security, custodial, or

supervisory function over the admittance, confinement, or

discharge of prisoners; and

(B) is certified by the Texas Commission on Law

Enforcement;

(8) a juvenile correctional employee of the Texas

Juvenile Justice Department;

(9) an employee of the Department of Aging and

Disability Services or Department of State Health Services who:

(A) works at the department's maximum security

unit; or

(B) performs on-site services for the Texas

Department of Criminal Justice;

(10) an individual who is employed by the state or a

political or legal subdivision and is subject to certification by

the Texas Commission on Fire Protection;

(11) an individual employed by the state or a

political or legal subdivision whose principal duties are aircraft

crash and rescue fire fighting;

(12) a member of an organized volunteer fire-fighting

unit that:

(A) renders fire-fighting services without

remuneration; and

(B) conducts a minimum of two drills each month,

each two hours long;

(13) an individual who:

(A) performs emergency medical services or

operates an ambulance;

(B) is employed by a political subdivision of the

state or is an emergency medical services volunteer as defined by

Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code; and

(C) is qualified as an emergency care attendant

or at a higher level of training under Section 773.046, 773.047,

773.048, 773.049, or 773.0495, Health and Safety Code;

(14) an individual who is employed or formally

designated as a chaplain for:

(A) an organized volunteer fire-fighting unit or

other fire department of this state or of a political subdivision of

this state;

(B) a law enforcement agency of this state or of a

political subdivision of this state; or

(C) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;

(15) an individual who is employed by the state or a

political subdivision of the state and who is considered by the

governmental employer to be a trainee for a position otherwise

described by this section;

(16) an individual who is employed by the Department

of Public Safety and, as certified by the director, is:

(A) deployed into the field in direct support of

a law enforcement operation, including patrol, investigative,

search and rescue, crime scene, on-site communications, or special

operations; and

(B) given a special assignment in direct support

of operations relating to organized crime, criminal interdiction,

border security, counterterrorism, intelligence, traffic

enforcement, emergency management, regulatory services, or special

investigations; [ or ]

(17) an individual who is employed by the Parks and

Wildlife Department and, as certified by the executive director of

the Parks and Wildlife Department, is:

(A) deployed into the field in direct support of

a law enforcement operation, including patrol, investigative,

search and rescue, crime scene, on-site communications, or special

operations; and

(B) given a special assignment in direct support

of operations relating to organized crime, criminal interdiction,

border security, counterterrorism, intelligence, traffic

enforcement, emergency management, regulatory services, or special

investigations ; or

(18) a justice of the peace or medical examiner

required to conduct inquests under Chapter 49, Code of Criminal

Procedure, or a death investigator or employee who assists the

justice of the peace or medical examiner .

SECTION 3. Section 3106.001, Government Code, is amended by

amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as

follows:

(1) "Coroner" means a justice of the peace or medical

examiner required to conduct inquests under Chapter 49, Code of

Criminal Procedure, or a death investigator or employee who assists

the justice of the peace or medical examiner.

(1-a) "Emergency medical first responder" means an

employee or volunteer of the state, a political subdivision, or an

emergency medical services provider who provides urgent on-site

medical care to the sick or injured.

SECTION 4. Chapter 3106, Government Code, is amended by

adding Section 3106.0045 to read as follows:

Sec. 3106.0045. CORONERS' STAR OF TEXAS AWARD. (a) The

Coroners' Star of Texas Award shall be awarded to:

(1) each coroner who is seriously injured in the line

of duty; and

(2) the surviving next of kin of each coroner who is

killed or sustains a fatal injury in the line of duty.

(b) The Coroners' Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee

shall advise the governor on the issuance, design, and presentation

of the Coroners' Star of Texas Award.

(c) The committee consists of three current or retired

coroners appointed by the governor.

SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act to Chapter

615, Government Code, applies only in relation to a death that

occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. Matters

regarding eligibility, payment, and benefits under Chapter 615,

Government Code, in relation to a death that occurs before the

effective date of this Act are governed by the law in effect when

the death occurs, and the former law is continued in effect for that

purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.