Bill Text: TX HB2108 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating to a medal for certain members of the military forces who served during the Cold War.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-06-17 - Effective on 9/1/15 [HB2108 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB2108-Comm_Sub.html

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By: Galindo, Guillen (Senate Sponsor - Garcia) H.B. No. 2108
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2015;
May 11, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
Affairs and Military Installations; May 21, 2015, reported
favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 21, 2015, sent
to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a medal for certain members of the military forces who
served during the Cold War.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 437.355, Government Code, is reenacted
to incorporate amendments made to Section 431.134, Government Code,
by Chapter 243 (H.B. 402), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular
Session, 2013, and amended to read as follows:
Sec. 437.355. OTHER AWARDS. (a) The governor or adjutant
general, if delegated the authority, may adopt policies and
regulations relating to awarding:
(1) the Texas Purple Heart Medal, which shall be
awarded to a service member who, after September 11, 2001:
(A) was inducted into federal service from the
Texas National Guard; and
(B) meets the criteria for an award of the
federal Purple Heart Medal;
(2) the Texas Superior Service Medal, which shall be
awarded to:
(A) a service member of the Texas military forces
who has:
(i) completed 30 or more years of honorable
state service or a combination of state and federal service; and
(ii) continually demonstrated superior
performance and service while assigned to key leadership positions
demanding responsibility; or
(B) a civilian who has contributed significant
service to the Texas military forces;
(3) the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, which
shall be awarded to a member of the military forces of this state,
another state, or the United States for exceptionally outstanding
achievement or service to this state in performance of a duty of
great responsibility while serving with the Texas military forces
for whom the department receives a letter of recommendation for
award of the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal that:
(A) gives an account of the exceptional
achievement or service; and
(B) includes facts and photographs, and extracts
from official documents to support and amplify the facts;
(4) the Texas Outstanding Service Medal, which shall
be awarded to a service member of the military forces of this state,
another state, or the United States who has performed service in a
superior and clearly outstanding manner;
(5) the Texas Humanitarian Service Medal, which shall
be awarded to a service member who:
(A) does not meet the criteria for an award of the
federal Humanitarian Service Medal;
(B) is a member of the Texas military forces; and
(C) while serving on state active duty or active
duty under state authority in accordance with Title 32, United
States Code, participates satisfactorily in defense support to a
mission under civilian authority to protect life or property during
or soon after a natural disaster or civil unrest in the state;
(6) the Texas Homeland Defense Service Medal, which
shall be awarded to a service member of the Texas military forces
who served:
(A) on or after September 11, 2001;
(B) on state active duty or active duty under
state authority in accordance with Title 32, United States Code;
and
(C) satisfactorily in defense support to a
mission in the state under civilian authority;
(7) the Federal Service Medal, which shall be awarded
to a service member who was inducted into federal service from the
Texas military forces between June 15, 1940, and January 1, 1946, or
after June 1, 1950, if the service was for more than 90 days;
(8) the Texas Combat Service Ribbon, which shall be
awarded to a service member of the Texas National Guard who served,
after September 11, 2001, in a hostile fire zone as designated by
the United States secretary of defense;
(9) the Texas Faithful Service Medal, which shall be
awarded to a member of the Texas military forces who has completed
five years of honorable service during which the service member has
shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and great loyalty to
this state;
(10) the Texas Medal of Merit, which shall be awarded
to a member of the military forces of this state, another state, or
the United States who performs outstanding service or attains
extraordinary achievement in behalf of the state or United States;
(11) the Texas State Guard Service Medal, which shall
be awarded to a service member who completes three consecutive
years of honorable service in the Texas State Guard during which the
service member has shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and
great loyalty to this state;
(12) the Texas Desert Shield/Desert Storm Campaign
Medal, which shall be awarded to a service member who was inducted
into federal service from the Texas National Guard after August 1,
1990, in support of Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert
Storm, without regard to the place that the service member was
deployed while serving on active federal military duty;
(13) the Texas Iraqi Campaign Medal, which shall be
awarded to a service member who was inducted into federal service
from the Texas National Guard, without regard to the place that the
service member was deployed while serving on active federal
military duty, after:
(A) March 19, 2003, in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom; or
(B) August 31, 2010, in support of Operation New
Dawn; [and]
(14) the Texas Afghanistan Campaign Medal, which shall
be awarded to a service member who was inducted into federal service
from the Texas National Guard after October 6, 2001, in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom, without regard to the place that the
service member was deployed while serving on active federal
military duty; and
(15) the Cold War Medal, which, subject to Subsection
(c), shall be awarded to a member of the military forces of this
state or the United States [Texas National Guard or the Texas State
Guard] who:
(A) served between September 2, 1945, and
December 26, 1991; and
(B) was a resident of this state at the time the
service member entered military service[, subject to Subsection
(c)].
(b) A person may be awarded only one Texas Superior Service
Medal.
(c) A person described by Subsection (a)(15) may be awarded
a Cold War Medal only if:
(1) a federal Cold War Medal or an equivalent federal
medal is not available to be awarded; and
(2) a fee in the amount necessary to cover the costs of
awarding the medal is paid to the adjutant general's department.
SECTION 2. Section 431.134, Government Code, is repealed.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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