BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 295

By: Cain

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There have been calls to recognize the contribution and service of Master Sergeant Jonathan J. Dunbar, a native Texan and member of the U.S. Army who was killed in Syria in 2018 while supporting the military intervention against ISIS. C.S.H.B. 295 seeks to designate March 30 as Master Sergeant Jonathan J. Dunbar Day, a state recognition day.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 295 amends the Government Code to designate March 30 as Master Sergeant Jonathan J. Dunbar Day in honor of Master Sergeant Jonathan J. Dunbar, who served in the United States Army and gave his life in defense of the nation. The bill requires regular observance of the day by appropriate ceremonies.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 295 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes provisions designating March 30 as Master Sergeant Jonathan J. Dunbar Day and does not include any provisions from the original, which designates March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day.