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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain awards for outstanding achievement or service |
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to this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 437.355(a), Government Code, as amended |
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by Chapters 144 (H.B. 115) and 760 (H.B. 2108), Acts of the 84th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is reenacted and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The governor or adjutant general, if delegated the |
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authority, may adopt policies and regulations relating to awarding: |
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(1) the Texas Purple Heart Medal, which shall be |
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awarded to a service member who: |
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(A) after September 11, 2001: |
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(i) was inducted into federal service from |
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the Texas National Guard; and |
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(ii) meets the criteria for an award of the |
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federal Purple Heart Medal; or |
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(B) was wounded or killed at Fort Hood on |
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November 5, 2009; |
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(2) the Texas Superior Service Medal, which shall be |
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awarded to: |
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(A) a service member of the Texas military forces |
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who has: |
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(i) completed 30 or more years of honorable |
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state service or a combination of state and federal service; and |
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(ii) continually demonstrated superior |
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performance and service while assigned to key leadership positions |
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demanding responsibility; or |
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(B) a civilian who has contributed significant |
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service to the Texas military forces; |
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(3) the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, which |
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shall be awarded to a member of the military forces of this state, |
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another state, or the United States, an employee of the department, |
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or a civilian selected by the adjutant general for exceptionally |
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outstanding achievement or service to this state in performance of |
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a duty of great responsibility while serving in [with] the Texas |
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military forces or as a department employee or in a manner that |
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brings exceptionally meritorious acknowledgement of the department |
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and for whom the department receives a letter of recommendation for |
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award of the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal that: |
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(A) gives an account of the exceptional |
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achievement or service; and |
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(B) includes facts and photographs, and extracts |
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from official documents to support and amplify the facts; |
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(4) the Texas Outstanding Service Medal, which shall |
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be awarded to a service member of the military forces of this state, |
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another state, or the United States who has performed service in a |
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superior and clearly outstanding manner; |
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(5) the Texas Humanitarian Service Medal, which shall |
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be awarded to a service member who: |
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(A) does not meet the criteria for an award of the |
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federal Humanitarian Service Medal; |
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(B) is a member of the Texas military forces; and |
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(C) while serving on state active duty or active |
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duty under state authority in accordance with Title 32, United |
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States Code, participates satisfactorily in defense support to a |
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mission under civilian authority to protect life or property during |
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or soon after a natural disaster or civil unrest in the state; |
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(6) the Texas Homeland Defense Service Medal, which |
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shall be awarded to a service member of the Texas military forces |
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who served: |
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(A) on or after September 11, 2001; |
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(B) on state active duty or active duty under |
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state authority in accordance with Title 32, United States Code; |
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and |
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(C) satisfactorily in defense support to a |
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mission in the state under civilian authority; |
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(7) the Federal Service Medal, which shall be awarded |
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to a service member who was inducted into federal service from the |
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Texas military forces between June 15, 1940, and January 1, 1946, or |
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after June 1, 1950, if the service was for more than 90 days; |
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(8) the Texas Combat Service Ribbon, which shall be |
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awarded to a service member of the Texas National Guard who served, |
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after September 11, 2001, in a hostile fire zone as designated by |
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the United States secretary of defense; |
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(9) the Texas Faithful Service Medal, which shall be |
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awarded to a member of the Texas military forces who has completed |
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five years of honorable service during which the service member has |
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shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and great loyalty to |
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this state; |
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(10) the Texas Medal of Merit, which shall be awarded |
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to a member of the military forces of this state, another state, or |
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the United States who performs outstanding service or attains |
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extraordinary achievement in behalf of the state or United States; |
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(11) the Texas State Guard Service Medal, which shall |
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be awarded to a service member who completes three consecutive |
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years of honorable service in the Texas State Guard during which the |
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service member has shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and |
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great loyalty to this state; |
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(12) the Texas Desert Shield/Desert Storm Campaign |
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Medal, which shall be awarded to a service member who was inducted |
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into federal service from the Texas National Guard after August 1, |
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1990, in support of Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert |
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Storm, without regard to the place that the service member was |
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deployed while serving on active federal military duty; |
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(13) the Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal, which shall be |
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awarded to a service member who was inducted into federal service |
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from the Texas National Guard, without regard to the place that the |
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service member was deployed while serving on active federal |
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military duty, after: |
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(A) March 19, 2003, in support of Operation Iraqi |
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Freedom; or |
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(B) August 31, 2010, in support of Operation New |
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Dawn; |
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(14) the Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal, which shall |
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be awarded to a service member who was inducted into federal service |
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from the Texas National Guard after October 6, 2001, in support of |
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Operation Enduring Freedom, without regard to the place that the |
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service member was deployed while serving on active federal |
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military duty; [and] |
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(15) the Cold War Medal, which, subject to Subsection |
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(c), shall be awarded to a member of the military forces of this |
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state or the United States who: |
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(A) served between September 2, 1945, and |
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December 26, 1991; and |
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(B) was a resident of this state at the time the |
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service member entered military service; |
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(16) the Texas Adjutant General's Individual Award, |
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which shall be awarded to an individual member of the Texas military |
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forces for the individual's meritorious achievement or outstanding |
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service in the performance of a duty that is extremely noteworthy |
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but does not meet the criteria for an award of a higher state |
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decoration; and |
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(17) the Texas Medal for the Defense of Freedom, which |
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shall be awarded to any civilian who is killed or wounded by hostile |
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action while serving under any competent authority of the |
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department under conditions for which a service member would be |
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eligible for receipt of the Texas Purple Heart Medal. |
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SECTION 2. Section 437.355, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(3), a civilian is |
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ineligible to be awarded the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal |
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if the civilian is: |
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(1) required to register under Chapter 305 or has any |
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current or potential pecuniary interest related to department |
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activities or fee-based services provided to a member of the Texas |
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military forces or a department employee; |
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(2) employed by a person or organization that is |
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required to register under Chapter 305 or that has any current or |
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potential pecuniary interest related to department activities or |
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fee-based services provided to a member of the Texas military |
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forces or a department employee; or |
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(3) recommended for the award based on exceptional |
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achievement or service that occurred at a time when the civilian was |
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required to register under Chapter 305 or had any pecuniary |
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interest related to department activities or fee-based services |
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provided to a member of the Texas military forces or a department |
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employee. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 437, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 437.3555 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 437.3555. GOVERNOR'S UNIT CITATION. (a) The |
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Governor's Unit Citation shall be awarded to a unit or |
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organizational detachment of the Texas military forces for |
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extraordinary valor or exceptionally meritorious conduct or |
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achievement in the performance of outstanding combat operations, |
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combat support, or service support operations or activities. |
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(b) To be eligible for the Governor's Unit Citation, a unit |
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or organizational detachment of the Texas military forces must: |
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(1) have served for at least 90 continuous days in |
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support of military operations; |
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(2) have served under the authority of Title 10 or |
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Title 32 of the United States Code, within or outside the |
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continental United States; and |
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(3) have performed with marked distinction under |
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difficult or hazardous conditions during single or successive |
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operations covering the 90 days required under Subdivision (1). |
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(c) The adjutant general shall award the Governor's Unit |
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Citation. |
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SECTION 4. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
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over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, |
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relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted |
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codes. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |