Amend CSSB 8 (house committee printing) to read as follows:

(1)  On page 3 of the bill, strike "$200,000,000" and substitute "$175,000,000" in each of the following places it appears:

(A)  line 9; and

(B)  line 26.

(2)  On page 7, line 20, strike "$150,000,000" and substitute "$125,000,000".

(3)  Add the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____.  DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE: WORKERS' COMPENSATION DEATH BENEFITS. (a) The amount of $50,000,000 is appropriated to the Department of Insurance for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act from money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the purpose of distributing the money to political subdivisions and pools, as defined by Section 504.001, Labor Code, to support payment of workers' compensation death benefits of public safety employees, as defined by Section 607.001, Government Code:

(1)  who contracted severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that resulted in death;

(2)  for whom the presumption under Section 607.0545, Government Code, applies; and

(3)  who at the time the virus or disease was contracted were employed by a political subdivision other than a municipality with a population of greater than 200,000.

(b)  The Department of Insurance may distribute not more than $1,000,000 to a political subdivision or pool for each claim for death benefits to which Subsection (a) of this section applies.