By Merritt H.B. No. 3428
77R9344 JSA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to Texas military awards.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 431.131, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 431.131. TEXAS LEGISLATIVE HONORS [MEDAL OF HONOR]. (a)
1-7 The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor shall be awarded to a member
1-8 of the state military forces who voluntarily performs a deed of
1-9 personal bravery or self-sacrifice involving risk of life that is
1-10 so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the person for gallantry
1-11 and intrepidity above the person's comrades. Awarding of the medal
1-12 shall be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. The
1-13 medal may be awarded only on incontestable proof of performance of
1-14 the deed and on recommendation of the adjutant general under
1-15 Section 431.135.
1-16 (b) The Lone Star [Texas Legislative] Medal of Honor may be
1-17 awarded to appropriately honor any Texan [person] who has been
1-18 awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The medal may be awarded
1-19 only on recommendation of the adjutant general under Section
1-20 431.135. In this subsection, "Texan" means a person born in Texas
1-21 or who entered military service as a Texas resident.
1-22 (c) Funds appropriated to the legislature may be expended
1-23 for purposes of this section, including the travel expenses of the
1-24 honoree and the honoree's immediate family in traveling to a
2-1 ceremony for the presentation of the award.
2-2 SECTION 2. Sections 431.135(a) and (b), Government Code, are
2-3 amended to read as follows:
2-4 (a) A recommendation for award of the Texas Legislative
2-5 Medal of Honor, Lone Star Medal of Honor, Lone Star Medal of Valor,
2-6 or Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal shall be forwarded through
2-7 military channels to the adjutant general. An individual having
2-8 personal knowledge of an act or achievement or exceptional service
2-9 believed to warrant the award of one of these medals may submit a
2-10 letter of recommendation to the adjutant general.
2-11 (b) A letter of recommendation for award of the Texas
2-12 Legislative Medal of Honor, Lone Star Medal of Honor, or Lone Star
2-13 Medal of Valor must give an account of the occurrence and
2-14 statements of eyewitnesses, extracts from official records,
2-15 sketches, maps, diagrams, or photographs to support and amplify the
2-16 stated facts.
2-17 SECTION 3. Section 431.136, Government Code, is amended to
2-18 read as follows:
2-19 Sec. 431.136. AWARDING. The governor or the governor's
2-20 designee awards the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor or the Lone
2-21 Star Medal of Honor only on approval by the legislature by
2-22 concurrent resolution. The governor or the governor's designee
2-23 awards the Lone Star Medal of Valor and Lone Star Distinguished
2-24 Service Medal on recommendation of the adjutant general.
2-25 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a
2-26 vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-27 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-1 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-2 Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
3-3 legislative session.