89R1242 MCK-F     By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 598       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the provision of financial assistance to survivors of   certain members of the Texas military forces.          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:                      (A)  elected, appointed, or employed as a peace   officer by the state or a political subdivision of the state under   Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law; or                      (B)  employed as a peace officer by a private   institution of higher education, including a private junior   college, that is located in this state under Section 51.212,   Education Code;                (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 Texas Commission on Law   Enforcement;                (8)  a juvenile correctional employee of the Texas   Juvenile Justice Department;                (9)  an employee of the Health and Human Services   Commission [Department of Aging and Disability Services or   Department of State Health Services] who:                      (A)  works at the commission's [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;                (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; or                (18)  a member of the Texas military forces who is on   state active duty, as those terms are defined by Section 437.001.          SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act relating to   the death of a member of the Texas military forces 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 on the date the death occurs, and the former law is   continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.