1-1  By:  Solis (Senate Sponsor - Lucio)                    H.B. No. 895
    1-2        (In the Senate - Received from the House April 5, 1993;
    1-3  April 5, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on
    1-4  Finance; May 3, 1993, reported favorably by the following vote:
    1-5  Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 3, 1993, sent to printer.)
    1-6                            COMMITTEE VOTE
    1-7                          Yea     Nay      PNV      Absent 
    1-8        Montford           x                               
    1-9        Turner             x                               
   1-10        Armbrister         x                               
   1-11        Barrientos         x                               
   1-12        Bivins                                         x   
   1-13        Ellis                                          x   
   1-14        Haley              x                               
   1-15        Moncrief           x                               
   1-16        Parker             x                               
   1-17        Ratliff            x                               
   1-18        Sims               x                               
   1-19        Truan              x                               
   1-20        Zaffirini          x                               
   1-21                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
   1-22                                AN ACT
   1-23  relating to the registration and exemption from the sales and use
   1-24  tax of certain vehicles owned or leased by certain emergency
   1-25  medical services providers.
   1-26        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-27        SECTION 1.  Section 3(g), Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of
   1-28  the 41st Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1929 (Article 6675a-3,
   1-29  Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
   1-30        (g)  A vehicle owned or leased by an emergency medical
   1-31  services provider described by this subsection shall be registered
   1-32  without payment if the vehicle has been authorized under an
   1-33  emergency medical services provider license by the Texas Board of
   1-34  Health under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, and its
   1-35  subsequent amendments, and is used exclusively as an emergency
   1-36  medical services vehicle or the vehicle is an emergency medical
   1-37  services chief or supervisor vehicle used exclusively as an
   1-38  emergency services vehicle.  This subsection applies only to an
   1-39  emergency medical services provider that is nonprofit or that is
   1-40  created and operated by a municipality, a county, or any
   1-41  combination of municipalities and counties through a contract,
   1-42  joint agreement, or any other method provided by Chapter 791,
   1-43  Government Code, and its subsequent amendments, or any other law
   1-44  authorizing counties and municipalities to provide joint programs
   1-45  <registered by the Texas Board of Health under Section 773.057,
   1-46  Health and Safety Code, to be operated as an ambulance and used
   1-47  exclusively as an ambulance by a nonprofit, volunteer ambulance
   1-48  company shall be registered without the payment of an annual
   1-49  registration fee>.  The application for registration of an
   1-50  emergency medical services vehicle must be accompanied by a copy of
   1-51  the license <registration> issued by the Texas Board of Health and
   1-52  as an emergency response vehicle and a statement signed by an
   1-53  officer of the emergency medical services provider <company>
   1-54  stating that the vehicle is used exclusively as an emergency
   1-55  response vehicle and qualifies under this subsection for
   1-56  registration without payment <by a nonprofit, volunteer ambulance
   1-57  company as an ambulance>.  The application for an emergency medical
   1-58  services chief or supervisors vehicle must be accompanied by an
   1-59  affidavit signed by an officer of the emergency medical services
   1-60  provider stating that the vehicle qualifies under this subsection
   1-61  for registration without payment.  The application must be approved
   1-62  by the department as provided by Section 3aa of this Act.
   1-63        SECTION 2.  Section 152.087, Tax Code, is amended to read as
   1-64  follows:
   1-65        Sec. 152.087.  FIRE TRUCKS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
   1-66  VEHICLES <AMBULANCES>.  The taxes imposed by this chapter do not
   1-67  apply to the purchase, rental, or use of a fire truck, emergency
   1-68  medical services vehicle as defined by Section 773.003, Health and
    2-1  Safety Code, <ambulance,> or other motor vehicle used exclusively
    2-2  for fire-fighting purposes or for emergency medical services when
    2-3  purchased by:
    2-4              (1)  a volunteer fire department; <or>
    2-5              (2)  a nonprofit <volunteer> emergency medical service
    2-6  provider that receives a federal income tax exemption under Section
    2-7  501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described
    2-8  by Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
    2-9              (3)  an emergency medical service provider to which
   2-10  Section 3(g), Chapter 88, General Laws, Acts of the 41st
   2-11  Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1929 (Article 6675a-3, Vernon's
   2-12  Texas Civil Statutes), applies.
   2-13        SECTION 3.  Section 152.001(14), Tax Code, is repealed.
   2-14        SECTION 4.  (a)  Section 1 of this Act applies to the
   2-15  registration of a vehicle without regard to whether the vehicle was
   2-16  authorized under an emergency medical services provider license by
   2-17  the Texas Board of Health under Chapter 773, Health and Safety
   2-18  Code, before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
   2-19        (b)  The change in law made by Section 2 of this Act does not
   2-20  affect taxes imposed before the effective date of this Act, and the
   2-21  law in effect before the effective date of this Act is continued in
   2-22  effect for purposes of the liability for and collection of those
   2-23  taxes.
   2-24        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-25  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-26  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-27  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-28  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-29  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-30  passage, and it is so enacted.
   2-31                               * * * * *
   2-32                                                         Austin,
   2-33  Texas
   2-34                                                         May 3, 1993
   2-35  Hon. Bob Bullock
   2-36  President of the Senate
   2-37  Sir:
   2-38  We, your Committee on Finance to which was referred H.B. No. 895,
   2-39  have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to
   2-40  report it back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do
   2-41  pass and be printed.
   2-42                                                         Montford,
   2-43  Chairman
   2-44                               * * * * *
   2-45                               WITNESSES
   2-46                                                  FOR   AGAINST  ON
   2-47  ___________________________________________________________________
   2-48  Name:  Bill Aston                                x
   2-49  Representing:  Harlingen, San Benito, Etc. EMS
   2-50  City:  Harlingen
   2-51  -------------------------------------------------------------------
   2-52  Name:  Allan Helberg                             x
   2-53  Representing:  Tx. Ambulance Assoc
   2-54  City:  Dallas
   2-55  -------------------------------------------------------------------
   2-56  Name:  Faye Thomas                               x
   2-57  Representing:  Tx Ambulance Assoc
   2-58  City:  Dallas
   2-59  -------------------------------------------------------------------
   2-60                                                  FOR   AGAINST  ON
   2-61  ___________________________________________________________________
   2-62  Name:  Brendan Hall                              x
   2-63  Representing:  Harlingen Com. Emerg. Care
   2-64  City:  Harlingen
   2-65  -------------------------------------------------------------------
   2-66  Name:  Billy Sladek
   2-67  Representing:  Tx. Dept. Health/Emergency Mgt
   2-68  City:
   2-69  -------------------------------------------------------------------