BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1144 By: Harris, Jack 3-28-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Public entities (such as cities, counties, school districts, water districts,etc.) are required by law to provide workers' compensation coverage for their employees. Many political subdivisions also provide coverage for their volunteer fire fighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and other volunteer personnel. There are currently 17,082 active EMS professionals certified in Texas. Additionally, there are 11,011 EMS volunteers. In many rural areas of Texas, EMS volunteers provide the only access to medical care. EMS workers are constantly placing themselves at risk in the line of duty. They are exposed to a high incidence of traffic and roadside injury. For example in 1991, there were 226 ambulance crashes, injuring more than 200 individuals. Also, EMS professionals provide medical assistance to individuals without the benefit of medical histories, providing possible exposure to HIV and other debilitating viruses and conditions. The costs associated with adding EMS personnel to a municipality's workers' compensation plan are minimal. One insurance company which services approximately 450 of these workers' compensation insurance policies, claims it would cost about $18 per month per person to add EMS volunteers to existing policies. PURPOSE This bill requires political subdivisions to extend workers' compensation coverage to volunteer emergency medical personnel, if they decide to provide the same coverage to volunteer fire fighters and police officers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 504.012 (a) Labor Code. This section requires public entities to include volunteer emergency medical personnel in their workers' compensation coverage if the entity also provides coverage to volunteer fire fighters and police officers. SECTION 2. Effective date, September 1, 1995 SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION House Bill 1144 was considered in a public hearing on March 28, 1995. Testifying on the bill was Laurie Crumpton, representing The Legislative Oversight Committee on Workers' Compensation. A motion to report H.B. 1144 without amendments, to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed carried with a record voted of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present-not-voting, and 0 absent.