1-1 By: Armbrister S.B. No. 1132
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 1993; March 15, 1993, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;
1-4 April 15, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9,
1-5 Nays 0; April 15, 1993, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-8 Sims x
1-9 Truan x
1-10 Armbrister x
1-11 Barrientos x
1-12 Bivins x
1-13 Brown x
1-14 Carriker x
1-15 Lucio x
1-16 Montford x
1-17 Ratliff x
1-18 Shelley x
1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-20 AN ACT
1-21 relating to payment of death benefits to certain peace officers of
1-22 the State of Texas.
1-23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-24 SECTION 1. Section 12.202, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-25 amended to read as follows:
1-26 Sec. 12.202. Operation Game Thief Committee. (a) The
1-27 director shall appoint an Operation Game Thief Committee composed
1-28 of nine members to administer the operation game thief fund and to
1-29 make reward payments and death benefit payments from that fund.
1-30 The director shall appoint persons who are not employees of the
1-31 department and who have a demonstrated interest in game and fish
1-32 conservation. The director may consider the recommendations or
1-33 nominations of any club or association. The director shall
1-34 designate one of the members as chairman of the committee. The
1-35 director or an employee designated by the director for that purpose
1-36 shall serve as secretary to the committee. A member of the
1-37 committee serves without compensation.
1-38 (b) Each member of the committee serves a term of six years.
1-39 The terms of one-third of the members expire on January 31 of each
1-40 odd-numbered year. The director may reappoint members.
1-41 (c) The committee shall meet at least two times each
1-42 calendar year at the department's office in Austin. Five committee
1-43 members must be present for approval of disbursement of rewards to
1-44 eligible applicants and death benefit payments to eligible
1-45 recipients.
1-46 SECTION 2. Section 12.204, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-47 amended to read as follows:
1-48 Sec. 12.204. REWARDS; PAYMENTS. No amount in excess of that
1-49 on deposit in the operation game thief fund is payable as a reward
1-50 under this section or as a death benefit payment under Section
1-51 12.206 of this code. No reward may be granted to a person, or an
1-52 immediate family member of a person, who is a peace officer, deputy
1-53 game warden, prosecutor, employee of the department, or member of
1-54 the judiciary.
1-55 SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 12, Parks and Wildlife
1-56 Code, is amended by adding Section 12.206 to read as follows:
1-57 Sec. 12.206. PAYMENT OF DEATH BENEFITS. The committee may
1-58 use the operation game thief fund to supplement any death benefits
1-59 received by the families of peace officers employed by the
1-60 department who are killed in the line of duty. A death benefit
1-61 payment shall be equal to at least 20 percent of the current
1-62 balance of the fund, provided that a payment shall not be less than
1-63 $10,000 or more than $100,000. The committee shall adopt
1-64 guidelines for the payment of death benefits under this section.
1-65 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
1-66 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
1-67 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-68 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-3 * * * * *
2-4 Austin,
2-5 Texas
2-6 April 15, 1993
2-7 Hon. Bob Bullock
2-8 President of the Senate
2-9 Sir:
2-10 We, your Committee on Natural Resources to which was referred S.B.
2-11 No. 1132, have had the same under consideration, and I am
2-12 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation
2-13 that it do pass and be printed.
2-14 Truan,
2-15 Vice-Chairman
2-16 * * * * *
2-17 WITNESSES
2-18 FOR AGAINST ON
2-19 ___________________________________________________________________
2-20 Name: Alton E. Anderson x
2-21 Representing: Tx Game Warden Association
2-22 City: West Columbia
2-23 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-24 Name: John W. Kelsey x
2-25 Representing: Tx Parks & Wildlife
2-26 City: Houston
2-27 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-28 Name: Charles Hensley x
2-29 Representing: Tx Parks & Wildlife
2-30 City: Austin
2-31 -------------------------------------------------------------------