By: Patrick S.B. No. 877
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to establishing the Citizens' Star of Texas Award.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 3106.001, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows:
               (4)  "Next of kin" means the relative in the nearest
  degree of relationship to a deceased person, including the person's
  spouse, child, parent, or sibling.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 3106, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Section 3106.0041 to read as follows:
         Sec. 3106.0041.  CITIZENS' STAR OF TEXAS AWARD. (a)  The
  Citizens' Star of Texas Award shall 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)  The Peace Officers' Star of Texas Award Advisory
  Committee under Section 3106.002, the Firefighters' Star of Texas
  Award Advisory Committee under Section 3106.003, and the Emergency
  Medical First Responders' Star of Texas Award Advisory Committee
  under Section 3106.004, as applicable, shall advise the governor on
  the issuance, design, and presentation of the Citizens' Star of
  Texas Award.
         SECTION 3.  Section 3106.007, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 3106.007.  RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD.  (a)  Any person
  who has personal knowledge that a peace officer, firefighter, or
  emergency medical first responder has been killed or seriously
  injured in the line of duty, or that a federal law enforcement
  officer or special agent has been killed or seriously injured while
  performing duties in this state to assist a state or local law
  enforcement agency, may submit that information in writing to a
  committee under this chapter.
         (b)  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 may submit information about the private citizen in writing
  to a committee under this chapter.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.