Bill extends survivor aid to Texas military forces on duty

The text as introduced · 891 words

89R1242 MCK-F

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 598

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision of financial assistance to survivors of

certain members of the Texas military forces.

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

SECTION 1. 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 Health and Human Services

Commission [ Department of Aging and Disability Services or

Department of State Health Services ] who:

(A) works at the commission's [ 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 member of the Texas military forces who is on

state active duty, as those terms are defined by Section 437.001 .

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act relating to

the death of a member of the Texas military forces 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 on the date the death occurs, and the former law is

continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.