BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 877

By: Patrick

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

S.B. 877 intends to honor citizens who are seriously injured or killed while assisting a police officer, firefighter, or emergency medical first responder in the line of duty.

As proposed, S.B. 877 amends current law to establish the Citizens' Star of Texas Award.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 3106.001, Government Code, by adding Subdivision (4), to define "next of kin."

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 3106, Government Code, by adding Section 3106.0041, as follows:

Sec. 3106.0041.  CITIZENS' STAR OF TEXAS AWARD.  (a)  Requires that the Citizens' Star of Texas Award be awarded to:

(1)  a private citizen who is seriously injured while aiding or attempting to aid a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical first responder in the performance of the duties of the officer, firefighter, or first responder; and

(2)  the surviving next of kin of a private citizen who is killed or sustains a fatal injury while aiding or attempting to aid a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical first responder in the performance of the duties of the officer, firefighter, or first responder.

(b)  Requires the Peace Officers' Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee under Section 3106.002 (Peace Officers' Star of Texas Award), the Firefighters' Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee under Section 3106.003 (Firefighters' Star of Texas Award), and the Emergency Medical First Responders' Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee under Section 3106.004 (Emergency Medical First Responders' Star of Texas Award), as applicable, to advise the governor on the issuance, design, and presentation of the Citizens' Star of Texas Award.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 3106.007, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 3106.007.  RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further changes.

(b)  Authorizes the head of an agency that employs a peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical first responder who has knowledge of a private citizen described by Section 3106.0041(a) and a state legislator representing the district in which the private citizen resides to submit information about the private citizen in writing to a committee under this chapter.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.