84R9923 JRR-F
By: Allen H.B. No. 3798
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to providing financial assistance to certain survivors of
an inmate who died as a result of a traffic accident that occurred
while the inmate was being transported by the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice or a person under contract with the department.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 501.025 to read as follows:
Sec. 501.025. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE SURVIVOR OF
CERTAIN INMATES. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a survivor of
an inmate confined by the department is eligible for the payment of
assistance under Chapter 615 if:
(1) the inmate died:
(A) while the inmate was under the care and
custody of the department; and
(B) as a result of personal injuries sustained in
a transportation accident that occurred while the inmate was being
lawfully transported to or from an intake facility, holding
facility, unit of assignment, hospital, or any other facility
operated by or under contract with the department, regardless of
whether the transportation of the inmate was conducted by the
department or a person under contract with the department; and
(2) the survivor is:
(A) the surviving spouse of the inmate;
(B) a surviving child of the inmate, if there is
no surviving spouse; or
(C) a surviving parent of the inmate, if there is
no surviving spouse or child.
(b) Chapter 615 applies to an eligible survivor of an inmate
under this section in the same manner as that chapter applies to an
eligible survivor under Section 615.021.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act relating to
the death of certain inmates under the custody of the Department of
Criminal Justice applies only in relation to a death that occurs on
or after January 1, 2015. Matters regarding eligibility, payment,
and benefits under Section 501.025, Government Code, as added by
this Act, or Chapter 615, Government Code, in relation to a death
that occurs before January 1, 2015, are governed by the law in
effect when the death occurs, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.