BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
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By: Hall |
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Veteran Affairs & Military Installations-S/C Border Security |
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
S.B. 1253 will create the Texas Border Security and Support Service Ribbon for any member of the Texas National Guard or Texas State Guard who served on state active duty orders in support of the current Operation Strong Safety, or OSS. When the Texas Military Forces were originally called to state active duty by Governor Perry, they were authorized up to 1,000 service members to support this mission. Within a few days, they had more than 2,000 volunteers who wanted to serve their state and they had to turn people away. This ribbon will honor their dedication to their state and thank them for their service in protecting Texas and her people.
To be eligible for this award, the service member must have gone on state active duty orders for this mission on or after July 28, 2014, which is the date the governor activated the Texas Military Forces in support of OSS.
While most of the service members assigned to OSS served primarily in the Rio Grande Valley, some served in Austin in support and logistics roles, therefore the language does not specify a duty area at which the service member had to have served.
As proposed, S.B. 1253 amends current law relating to a ribbon for certain members of the military forces who served in support of operations to secure the Texas border.
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. Reenacts Section 437.355, Government Code, to incorporate amendments made to Section 431.134, Government Code, by Chapter 243 (H.B. 402), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, and amends it, as follows:
Sec. 437.355. OTHER AWARDS. (a) Authorizes the governor of the State of Texas (governor) or adjutant general, if delegated the authority, to adopt policies and regulations relating to awarding:
(1)-(12) Makes no change to these subdivisions;
(13)-(15) Makes nonsubstantive changes; and
(16) the Texas Border Security and Support Service Ribbon, which shall be awarded to a member of the state military forces who served:
(A) on or after July 28, 2014;
(B) on state active duty; and
(C) satisfactorily in support of operations to secure the Texas border.
(b) and (c) Makes no change to these subsections.
SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 431.134 (Other Awards), Government Code.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.