87R1673 RDS-F
By: Tinderholt H.B. No. 1269
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 437.351, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read
as follows:
(a) The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor shall be awarded to
a member of the state or federal military forces [designated by
concurrent resolution of the legislature] who voluntarily performs
a deed of personal bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life
that is so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the service member
for gallantry and intrepidity above the service member's comrades.
Awarding of the medal shall be considered on the standard of
extraordinary merit. The medal may be awarded only on
incontestable proof of performance of the deed. To be eligible for
the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor, a service member must:
(1) have been born in this state;
(2) reside in this state or have been a resident of
this state on the service member's death; or
(3) have been a resident of this state when the service
member entered military service.
(d) The legislature by concurrent resolution may direct the
governor to award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to a service
member nominated by the nominating committee. The committee chairs
serving on the nominating committee shall jointly prepare a
concurrent resolution directing the governor to award the medal to
a service member nominated. The legislature may direct the medal to
be awarded only during a regular session and may not, during a
regular session, direct the medal to be awarded to more than:
(1) one service member for service in the state or
federal military forces during the period beginning after 1835 but
before 1976 [1956]; and
(2) one service member for service in the state or
federal military forces after 1975 [1955].
(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (d), the governor may award
the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to a service member nominated
by the nominating committee who is also a recipient of the
Congressional Medal of Honor.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.