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.