S.B. No. 396

	AN ACT
	relating to the provision of state death benefits to certain
	employees of the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas
	and the Parks and Wildlife Department.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 615.003, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 615.003.  APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to
	eligible survivors of the following individuals:
	(1)  an individual elected, appointed, or employed as a
	peace officer by the state or a political subdivision of the state
	under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law;
	(2)  a paid probation officer appointed by the director
	of a community supervision and corrections department who has the
	duties set out in Section 76.002 and the qualifications set out in
	Section 76.005, or who was appointed in accordance with prior law;
	(3)  a parole officer employed by the Texas Department
	of Criminal Justice who has the duties set out in Section 508.001
	and the qualifications set out in Section 508.113 or in prior law;
	(4)  a paid jailer;
	(5)  a member of an organized police reserve or
	auxiliary unit who regularly assists peace officers in enforcing
	criminal laws;
	(6)  a member of the class of employees of the
	correctional institutions division formally designated as
	custodial personnel under Section 615.006 by the Texas Board of
	Criminal Justice or its predecessor in function;
	(7)  a jailer or guard of a county jail who is appointed
	by the sheriff and who:
	(A)  performs a security, custodial, or
	supervisory function over the admittance, confinement, or
	discharge of prisoners; and
	(B)  is certified by the Commission on Law
	Enforcement Officer Standards and Education;
	(8)  a juvenile correctional employee of the Texas
	Juvenile Justice Department [Youth Commission];
	(9)  an employee of the Department of Aging and
	Disability Services or Department of State Health Services who:
	(A)  works at the department's maximum security
	unit; or
	(B)  performs on-site services for the Texas
	Department of Criminal Justice;
	(10)  an individual who is employed by the state or a
	political or legal subdivision and is subject to certification by
	the Texas Commission on Fire Protection;
	(11)  an individual employed by the state or a
	political or legal subdivision whose principal duties are aircraft
	crash and rescue fire fighting;
	(12)  a member of an organized volunteer fire-fighting
	unit that:
	(A)  renders fire-fighting services without
	remuneration; and
	(B)  conducts a minimum of two drills each month,
	each two hours long;
	(13)  an individual who:
	(A)  performs emergency medical services or
	operates an ambulance;
	(B)  is employed by a political subdivision of the
	state or is an emergency medical services volunteer as defined by
	Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code; and
	(C)  is qualified as an emergency care attendant
	or at a higher level of training under Section 773.046, 773.047,
	773.048, 773.049, or 773.0495, Health and Safety Code;
	(14)  an individual who is employed or formally
	designated as a chaplain for:
	(A)  an organized volunteer fire-fighting unit or
	other fire department of this state or of a political subdivision of
	this state;
	(B)  a law enforcement agency of this state or of a
	political subdivision of this state; or
	(C)  the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
	[or]
	(15)  an individual who is employed by the state or a
	political subdivision of the state and who is considered by the
	governmental employer to be a trainee for a position otherwise
	described by this section;
	(16)  an individual who is employed by the Department
	of Public Safety and, as certified by the director, is:
	(A)  deployed into the field in direct support of
	a law enforcement operation, including patrol, investigative,
	search and rescue, crime scene, on-site communications, or special
	operations; and
	(B)  given a special assignment in direct support
	of operations relating to organized crime, criminal interdiction,
	border security, counterterrorism, intelligence, traffic
	enforcement, emergency management, regulatory services, or special
	investigations; or
	(17)  an individual who is employed by the Parks and
	Wildlife Department and, as certified by the executive director of
	the Parks and Wildlife Department, is:
	(A)  deployed into the field in direct support of
	a law enforcement operation, including patrol, investigative,
	search and rescue, crime scene, on-site communications, or special
	operations; and
	(B)  given a special assignment in direct support
	of operations relating to organized crime, criminal interdiction,
	border security, counterterrorism, intelligence, traffic
	enforcement, emergency management, regulatory services, or special
	investigations.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act relating to
	the death of certain employees of the Department of Public Safety of
	the State of Texas and the Parks and Wildlife Department applies
	only in relation to a death that occurs on or after the effective
	date of this Act.  Matters regarding eligibility, payment, and
	benefits under Chapter 615, Government Code, in relation to a death
	that occurs before the effective date of this Act are governed by
	the law in effect when the death occurs, and the former law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 396 passed the Senate on
	March 27, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0;
	May 22, 2013, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
	requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 23, 2013, House
	granted request of the Senate; May 25, 2013, Senate adopted
	Conference Committee Report by the following vote:  Yeas 30,
	Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 396 passed the House, with
	amendments, on May 15, 2013, by the following vote:  Yeas 146,
	Nays 0, two present not voting; May 23, 2013, House granted request
	of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
	May 25, 2013, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
	following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, two present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor