BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 973

By: Kleinschmidt

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, there is a no specific state military award to recognize Texas service members in the Army or Air National Guard who have valiantly served in support of the global war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.   C.S.H.B. 973 establishes the Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal and the Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal to honor members of the Texas National Guard who were inducted into or served in federal service in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and Enduring Freedom.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the adjutant general in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 973 amends the Government Code to add the Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal and the Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal to the awards about which the adjutant general is authorized to adopt rules and regulations.  The bill requires the Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal to be awarded to a person who was inducted into federal military service from the Texas National Guard or to a member of the Texas National Guard who served in federal military service, without regard to the place that the person was deployed while serving on active federal military duty, after March 19, 2003, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or after August 31, 2010, in support of Operation New Dawn. 

C.S.H.B. 973 requires the Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal to be awarded to a person who was inducted into federal military service from the Texas National Guard or to a member of the Texas National Guard who served in federal military service after October 6, 2001, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, without regard to the place that the person was deployed while serving on active federal military duty.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 973 differs from the original by requiring the Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal and the Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal to be awarded to certain members of the state military forces who were inducted into or served in federal military service, whereas the original requires the medals to be awarded to certain members of the state military forces who were inducted into or served in or volunteered for federal service.  The substitute differs from the original by making conforming changes.