BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 315
87R18706 MWC-D	By: VanDeaver (Hughes)
	Criminal Justice
	5/4/2021
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Honorably retired members of the United States military are allowed to keep their uniforms to wear on special occasions and to be buried in their uniform. Texas law currently does not grant similar uniform burial privileges to honorably retired state peace officers. C.S.H.B. 315 grants these retired peace officers the right to purchase an official uniform for their burial.

C.S.H.B. 315 amends current law relating to the purchasing of the uniform of certain honorably retired or medically discharged peace officers.

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 the heading to Subchapter D, Chapter 614, Government Code, to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER D. PURCHASE OF FIREARM OR UNIFORM OF HONORABLY

�RETIRED, MEDICALLY DISCHARGED, OR DECEASED PEACE OFFICER

SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 614, Government Code, by adding Section 614.055, as follows:

Sec. 614.055.� PURCHASE OF UNIFORM ISSUED TO HONORABLY RETIRED AND CERTAIN MEDICALLY DISCHARGED STATE PEACE OFFICERS. (a) Authorizes an individual to purchase a uniform from a state agency if:

(1) the individual was a peace officer commissioned by the agency;

(2) the individual was honorably retired or medically discharged under conditions other than dishonorable from the individual's commission by the agency; and

(3) the uniform had been previously issued to the individual by the agency.

(b) Authorizes the nearest surviving relative of an individual described by Subsection (a) to purchase the individual's uniform from the state agency.

(c) Requires a state agency to establish the amount, which is prohibited from exceeding fair market value, for which a uniform is authorized to be purchased under this section.

(d) Authorizes an individual who purchases a uniform or on whose behalf a uniform is purchased under this section to be buried in the uniform.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2021.