BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1597
86R11267 SRA-F	By: Hall
	Veteran Affairs & Border Security
	3/25/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Both land and air crews in the Texas Military Department train extensively together and perform duties in a collaborative effort. The collective efforts and actions of a crew at times will outweigh the individual efforts. Some of those actions rise to the level where recognition is warranted.

While the Government Code provides for the recognition of individuals for specific acts of valor, bravery, outstanding courage, service, or extraordinary achievement for each award respectively, the Government Code only mentions individual(s) and the actions thereof and not those collective actions of a crew.

This bill updates the Government Code in order to recognize exemplary conduct of land and air crews when the actions of such crew rise to the level where recognition is warranted. This bill applies to three awards: Lone Star Medal of Valor, Texas Outstanding Service Medal, and Texas Medal of Merit. 

As proposed, S.B. 1597 amends current law relating to awarding certain medals for military service performed individually or as part of a crew.

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 437.352, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 437.352. LONE STAR MEDAL OF VALOR. Requires the Lone Star Medal of Valor to be awarded to a member of the military forces of this state, another state, or the United States who performs, either individually or as a member of a crew, specific acts of bravery or outstanding courage, or who performs within an exceptionally short period, either individually or as a member of a crew, a closely related series of heroic acts, if the acts involve personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life and result in an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the person or crew apart from the person's or crew's comrades or from other persons in similar circumstances.� Makes no other changes to this section.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 437.355(a), Government Code, as follows:

(a) Authorizes the governor or adjutant general, if delegated the authority, to adopt policies and regulations relating to awarding:

(1)�(3) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(4) the Texas Outstanding Service Medal, which is required to be awarded to a service member of military forces of this state, another state, or the United States who has performed service, either individually or as a member of a crew, in a superior and clearly outstanding manner;

(5)�(9) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(10) makes conforming change;

(11)�(15) makes no changes to this subdivision.��

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.