BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4421

By: Wilson

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor is the highest state military award available to those who served, were born in or died in Texas, or were a Texas resident at time of entrance into military service. However, current legislation regarding the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor fails to recognize those in service before, on, and after September 11, 2001. H.B. 4421 seeks to address this issue by amending the qualifications for and limitations on awarding the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor.

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

H.B. 4421 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to be awarded to a Texas resident who receives the Congressional Medal of Honor, and excludes such an award from the limitation on the number of medals that the legislature may direct the governor to award during a regular legislative session. The bill revises the two periods of applicable service for which the legislature may each direct one medal to be awarded as follows:

· changes the first period for which one medal may be awarded from the period beginning after 1835 but before 1956 to the period beginning after 1835 but before September 11, 2001; and

· changes the second award period from the period after 1955 to the period on or after September 11, 2001.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.