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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to reimbursement of certain group life insurance premiums |
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paid by certain members of the Texas National Guard. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 431, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 431.0822 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 431.0822. PREMIUM REIMBURSEMENT FOR CERTAIN GROUP LIFE |
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INSURANCE. (a) A member of the Texas National Guard deployed to a |
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hostile fire zone, as designated by the United States secretary of |
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defense, is entitled to reimbursement of premiums paid by the |
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member for benefits under the servicemembers' group life insurance |
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program under 38 U.S.C. Section 1965 et seq.: |
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(1) on or after the date on which the member is |
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activated under an order issued under Title 10 of the United States |
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Code; and |
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(2) before the date on which the member is |
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demobilized. |
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(b) The comptroller shall establish the Texas National |
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Guard members' life insurance reimbursement account in the general |
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revenue fund. Money in the account may only be appropriated for the |
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purposes of implementing this section. The comptroller, governor, |
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or adjutant general may accept gifts and grants for deposit to the |
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credit of the account. The legislature may transfer money into the |
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account or may appropriate money to implement this section that the |
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comptroller shall credit to the account. |
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(c) The adjutant general shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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(d) The comptroller, in consultation with the adjutant |
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general, shall adopt rules as necessary to govern the manner and |
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method of providing reimbursement under this section. |
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(e) This section does not affect a person's eligibility for |
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or the applicability of the servicemembers' group life insurance |
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program established by 38 U.S.C. Section 1965 et seq. or any rights, |
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responsibilities, or benefits under that program. |
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SECTION 2. Section 431.0822, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to reimbursement of insurance premiums paid |
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by a member of the Texas National Guard on or after the effective |
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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. |