86R4456 YDB-F

By: Hefner H.B. No. 872

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to financial assistance paid to the survivors of certain law enforcement officers and employees killed in the line of duty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 615.121(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The state shall pay the following benefits to an eligible surviving spouse of a peace officer, a jailer, a county jailer or guard, or an employee of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, as described by Section 615.003(1), (4), [or] (6), or (7), who was killed in the line of duty and who had not qualified for an annuity under an employees' retirement plan:

(1) funeral expenses related to the deceased person [officer or employee]; and

(2) monthly payments that equal the greater of:

(A) the monthly annuity payment the deceased person [officer or employee] would have received if the deceased person [officer or employee] had survived, had retired on the last day of the month in which the person [officer or employee] died, and had been eligible to receive an annuity under an employees' retirement plan; or

(B) the minimum monthly annuity payment the deceased person [officer or employee] would have received if the person [officer or employee] had been employed by the state for 10 years, had been paid a salary at the lowest amount provided by the General Appropriations Act for a position of peace officer, jailer, county jailer or guard, or employee of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, as described by Section 615.003(1), (4), [or] (6), or (7), and had been eligible to retire under the Employees Retirement System of Texas.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a payment of assistance to survivors of certain law enforcement officers and employees on or after the effective date of this Act regardless of the date the officer or employee died.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.