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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to active duty bonuses for certain Texas residents called |
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into active duty to serve in hostile fire zones. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 431, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 431.0065 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 431.0065. ACTIVE DUTY BONUS. (a) In this section, |
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"Texas resident" means an individual who has resided in Texas for |
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one year prior to being called into federal active military duty. |
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(b) A Texas resident who is a member of the state military |
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forces, or who is subject to military duty in the reserve militia |
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under Section 431.081 and a member of a reserve component of the |
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armed forces of the United States, who is called into federal active |
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military duty and deployed to serve in a hostile fire zone as |
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designated by the United States secretary of defense is eligible to |
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receive a one-time bonus in an amount not to exceed $1,000 on |
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returning from federal active duty. |
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(c) The active duty bonus account is an account in the |
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general revenue fund. Money in the account may be used only by the |
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adjutant general to pay bonuses authorized by this section or to |
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administer this section. |
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(d) The comptroller, governor, or adjutant general may |
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accept gifts and grants for deposit to the credit of the account. |
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The legislature may transfer money into the account or may |
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appropriate money to implement this section that the comptroller |
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shall credit to the account. |
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(e) The adjutant general shall adopt rules to implement this |
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section, including rules that prescribe the procedure for awarding |
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an active duty bonus to qualified individuals. The comptroller, in |
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consultation with the adjutant general, may adopt rules to govern |
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the manner and method of paying an active duty bonus under this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 431.0065, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to individuals called into federal active |
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military duty on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |