| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to financial assistance paid to the survivors of certain |
|
|
law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other public employees |
|
|
killed in the line of duty. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 615.022, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 615.022. PAYMENT TO SURVIVORS. (a) If there is an |
|
|
eligible surviving spouse, the state shall pay $500,000 [$250,000] |
|
|
to the eligible surviving spouse. |
|
|
(b) If there is no eligible surviving spouse, the state |
|
|
shall pay $500,000 [$250,000] in equal shares to surviving |
|
|
children. |
|
|
(c) If there is no eligible surviving spouse or child, the |
|
|
state shall pay $500,000 [$250,000] in equal shares to surviving |
|
|
parents. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Sections 615.023(a) and (b), Government Code, |
|
|
are amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The state shall pay to the duly appointed or qualified |
|
|
guardian or other legal representative of an eligible surviving |
|
|
minor child: |
|
|
(1) $400 [$200] each month, if there is one surviving |
|
|
child; |
|
|
(2) $600 [$300] each month, if there are two surviving |
|
|
children; or |
|
|
(3) $800 [$400] each month, if there are three or more |
|
|
surviving children. |
|
|
(b) A child's entitlement to assistance payable under this |
|
|
section ends on the last day of the month that includes the child's |
|
|
18th birthday. At that time, payments to any other surviving minor |
|
|
children shall be adjusted, as necessary, to conform to the amounts |
|
|
payable under Subsection (a). |
|
|
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply in |
|
|
relation to a payment of assistance made to survivors of certain |
|
|
public servants on or after the effective date of this Act |
|
|
regardless of the date the death of the public servant occurs. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |