| 1 | 1 | | 87R1673 RDS-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Tinderholt H.B. No. 1269 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 437.351, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 10 | 10 | | amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read |
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| 11 | 11 | | as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor shall be awarded to |
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| 13 | 13 | | a member of the state or federal military forces [designated by |
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| 14 | 14 | | concurrent resolution of the legislature] who voluntarily performs |
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| 15 | 15 | | a deed of personal bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life |
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| 16 | 16 | | that is so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the service member |
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| 17 | 17 | | for gallantry and intrepidity above the service member's comrades. |
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| 18 | 18 | | Awarding of the medal shall be considered on the standard of |
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| 19 | 19 | | extraordinary merit. The medal may be awarded only on |
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| 20 | 20 | | incontestable proof of performance of the deed. To be eligible for |
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| 21 | 21 | | the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, a service member must: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) have been born in this state; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) reside in this state or have been a resident of |
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| 24 | 24 | | this state on the service member's death; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) have been a resident of this state when the service |
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| 26 | 26 | | member entered military service. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (d) The legislature by concurrent resolution may direct the |
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| 28 | 28 | | governor to award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to a service |
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| 29 | 29 | | member nominated by the nominating committee. The committee chairs |
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| 30 | 30 | | serving on the nominating committee shall jointly prepare a |
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| 31 | 31 | | concurrent resolution directing the governor to award the medal to |
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| 32 | 32 | | a service member nominated. The legislature may direct the medal to |
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| 33 | 33 | | be awarded only during a regular session and may not, during a |
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| 34 | 34 | | regular session, direct the medal to be awarded to more than: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (1) one service member for service in the state or |
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| 36 | 36 | | federal military forces during the period beginning after 1835 but |
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| 37 | 37 | | before 1976 [1956]; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | (2) one service member for service in the state or |
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| 39 | 39 | | federal military forces after 1975 [1955]. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (e) Notwithstanding Subsection (d), the governor may award |
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| 41 | 41 | | the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to a service member nominated |
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| 42 | 42 | | by the nominating committee who is also a recipient of the |
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| 43 | 43 | | Congressional Medal of Honor. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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