AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Under current law, eligible survivors of certain individuals who died as a result of injury sustained in the line of duty are entitled to specified death benefits.  While these benefits are available to the survivors of most fallen Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS) personnel, current law does not confer those benefits to the survivors of some DPS personnel.  S.B. 396 specifies that the survivors of specified essential DPS support personnel would be eligible for the same line-of-duty death benefits as other already-eligible DPS personnel.

 

As proposed, S.B. 396 amends current law relating to the provision of state death benefits to certain employees of the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 615.003, Government Code, to add to the list of individuals to whom this chapter (Financial Assistance to Survivors of Certain Law Enforcement Officers, Fire Fighters, and Others) applies eligible survivors of certain individuals, including an individual who is employed by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas whose principal duties, as determined by the public safety director, directly support a law enforcement function of this state.

 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2013.