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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing financial assistance to certain survivors of |
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an inmate who died as a result of a traffic accident that occurred |
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while the inmate was being transported by the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice or a person under contract with the department. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 501, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 501.025 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 501.025. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE SURVIVOR OF |
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CERTAIN INMATES. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a survivor of |
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an inmate confined by the department is eligible for the payment of |
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assistance under Chapter 615 if: |
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(1) the inmate died: |
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(A) while the inmate was under the care and |
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custody of the department; and |
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(B) as a result of personal injuries sustained in |
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a transportation accident that occurred while the inmate was being |
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lawfully transported to or from an intake facility, holding |
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facility, unit of assignment, hospital, or any other facility |
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operated by or under contract with the department, regardless of |
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whether the transportation of the inmate was conducted by the |
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department or a person under contract with the department; and |
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(2) the survivor is: |
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(A) the surviving spouse of the inmate; |
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(B) a surviving child of the inmate, if there is |
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no surviving spouse; or |
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(C) a surviving parent of the inmate, if there is |
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no surviving spouse or child. |
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(b) Chapter 615 applies to an eligible survivor of an inmate |
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under this section in the same manner as that chapter applies to an |
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eligible survivor under Section 615.021. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act relating to |
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the death of certain inmates under the custody of the Department of |
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Criminal Justice applies only in relation to a death that occurs on |
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or after January 1, 2015. Matters regarding eligibility, payment, |
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and benefits under Section 501.025, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, or Chapter 615, Government Code, in relation to a death |
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that occurs before January 1, 2015, are governed by the law in |
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effect when the death occurs, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |