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AN ACT
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relating to awarding certain medals for military service performed |
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individually or as part of a crew. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 437.352, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 437.352. LONE STAR MEDAL OF VALOR. The Lone Star Medal |
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of Valor shall be awarded to a member of the military forces of this |
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state, another state, or the United States who performs, either |
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individually or as a member of a crew, specific acts of bravery or |
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outstanding courage, or who performs within an exceptionally short |
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period, either individually or as a member of a crew, a closely |
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related series of heroic acts, if the acts involve personal hazard |
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or danger and the voluntary risk of life and result in an |
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accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding as to clearly set the |
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person or crew apart from the person's or crew's comrades or from |
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other persons in similar circumstances. Awarding of the medal |
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requires a lesser degree of gallantry than awarding of the Texas |
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Legislative Medal of Honor, but requires that the acts be performed |
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with marked distinction. |
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SECTION 2. Section 437.355(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to 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 for exceptionally outstanding |
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achievement or service to this state in performance of a duty of |
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great responsibility while serving with the Texas military forces |
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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, |
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either individually or as a member of a crew, in a superior and |
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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, either individually or as a member of a |
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crew, 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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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1597 passed the Senate on |
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April 17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1597 passed the House on |
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May 3, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, two present |
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not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |