By: Duncan S.B. No. 1107 97S0636/1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the provision of financial assistance to survivors of 1-2 certain law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and others. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 615.021, Government Code, is amended to 1-5 read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 615.021. ELIGIBLE SURVIVORS. (a) A survivor of an 1-7 individual listed under Section 615.003 is eligible for the payment 1-8 of assistance under this chapter if: 1-9 (1) the listed individual died in the course of the 1-10 individual's duty performed in the individual's position as 1-11 described by Section 615.003 as a result of exposure to a risk: 1-12 (A) that is inherent in the duty; or 1-13 (B) to which the general public is not 1-14 customarily exposed; and 1-15 (2) the survivor is: 1-16 (A) the surviving spouse of the listed 1-17 individual; 1-18 (B) a minor child of the listed individual; 1-19 (C) a surviving parent of the listed individual, 1-20 if: 1-21 (i) there is no surviving spouse or minor 1-22 child; and 1-23 (ii) the parent was claimed as a dependent 2-1 on the income tax return filed with the Internal Revenue Service by 2-2 the listed individual in the year preceding the year in which the 2-3 listed individual died; or 2-4 (D) a surviving sibling of the listed individual 2-5 and is younger than 18 years of age, if: 2-6 (i) there is no surviving spouse or minor 2-7 child; and 2-8 (ii) the sibling was claimed as a 2-9 dependent on the income tax return filed with the Internal Revenue 2-10 Service by the listed individual in the year preceding the year in 2-11 which the listed individual died. 2-12 (b) An individual listed under Section 615.003(10) or (11) 2-13 is considered to be acting in the course of the individual's duty 2-14 for purposes of Subsection (a) whenever the individual performs 2-15 duties which the individual has been certified to perform by the 2-16 Texas Commission on Fire Protection, regardless of whether the 2-17 duties are performed during the individual's compensable work 2-18 hours. 2-19 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect June 3, 1997. 2-20 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-25 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its 3-1 terms, and it is so enacted.