The bill amends Section 615.021(a) of the Government Code to expand the eligibility criteria for survivors of certain public safety employees to receive assistance. Specifically, it allows survivors to qualify for benefits if the deceased individual either died as a result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty or died from an acute myocardial infarction or stroke that occurred during or within 24 hours after performing actions in the line of duty. This change introduces new language that clarifies the conditions under which survivors can receive assistance.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that the changes will only apply to deaths occurring on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. For deaths that occur before this date, the eligibility will be governed by the previous law in effect at the time of the death. This ensures that the new provisions do not retroactively affect existing cases.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 615.021 (Government Code 615)