By: Gallego (Senate Sponsor - Watson) H.B. No. 1164

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 10, 2007; April 11, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Government Organization; April 24, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 24, 2007, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the presentation of Star of Texas awards to federal law enforcement officers and special agents who are killed or sustain serious or fatal injuries while assisting state or local law enforcement agencies in this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 3106.002(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The Peace Officers' Star of Texas Award shall be awarded to:

(1) each peace officer who is seriously injured in the line of duty;

(2) [and] the surviving next of kin of each peace officer who is killed or sustains a fatal injury in the line of duty;

(3) each federal law enforcement officer or special agent who is seriously injured while performing duties in this state to assist a state or local law enforcement agency; and

(4) the surviving next of kin of each federal law enforcement officer or special agent who is killed or sustains a fatal injury while performing duties in this state to assist a state or local law enforcement agency.

SECTION 2. Section 3106.007, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3106.007. RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD. Any person who has personal knowledge that a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical first responder has been killed or seriously injured in the line of duty, or that a federal law enforcement officer or special agent has been killed or seriously injured while performing duties in this state to assist a state or local law enforcement agency, may submit that information in writing to a committee under this chapter.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

* * * * *