HB 3626 expands the state benefits and recognition available to coroners, justices of the peace, and medical examiners who conduct inquests. The bill adds coroners to the First Responder Advisory Council, allowing them to participate in discussions on emergency response policies. It also makes coroners eligible for state death benefits under Chapter 615 of the Government Code, which provides financial compensation to the survivors of public safety personnel who die in the line of duty. Additionally, the bill creates the Coroners’ Star of Texas Award, which recognizes coroners who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. The law applies only to deaths occurring on or after September 1, 2025​.