By: Wilson, Garcia (Senate Sponsor - Hall) H.B. No. 4421

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2023; May 5, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs; May 16, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 16, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to qualifications for and limitations on awarding 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 Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(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 September 11, 2001 [1956]; and

(2) one service member for service in the state or federal military forces on or after September 11, 2001 [1955].

(e) Notwithstanding Subsections (a) and (c), the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor shall be awarded to a resident of this state who receives the Congressional Medal of Honor. A Texas Legislative Medal of Honor awarded under this subsection is not included for purposes of determining the number of medals that may be awarded under Subsection (d).

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

* * * * *