Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: Statement on the Unanimous Passage of Senate Bill 22



 

AUSTIN – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today following the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 22, the First Responders Pandemic Care Act, by Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster:

“During the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas first responders repeatedly went beyond the call of duty to assist their fellow Texans, often putting their own health at risk. Sadly, too many of our first responders subsequently contracted COVID-19 and suffered partial or total disability, or passed away from the disease.

“Senate Bill 22 will ensure that those first responders who were disabled or lost their lives to COVID-19 are treated as line-of-duty disabilities or deaths. I congratulate Sen. Springer and the Texas Senate for unanimously passing Senate Bill 22 and standing up for our heroes, who risk their lives for our communities every day.”

Senate Bill 22 is authored by Sens. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, Beverly Powell, D-Burleson, and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo.