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.