Bill Would Give Non-Citizen Soldiers Benefits

Legislation to provide workers' compensation benefits to members of the Texas state military forces regardless of whether the member was a United States citizen has been introduced in the Texas Senate. SB 518 by Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, also would set income benefits for injured state military personnel at a maximum of 100% of the state average weekly wage and would raise death benefits to 400% of the state average weekly wage. The average weekly wage of an individual serving in the state military would be determined as "the sum of the member's regular weekly wage at any employment the ...