By: Brown S.B. No. 413 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to workers' compensation insurance coverage for volunteer 1-2 emergency service members and personnel. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 406, Labor Code, is amended 1-5 by adding Section 406.097 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 406.097. VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY SERVICE MEMBERS AND 1-7 PERSONNEL. (a) An emergency service organization which is not a 1-8 political subdivision or which is separate from any political 1-9 subdivision may elect to obtain workers' compensation insurance 1-10 coverage for its named volunteer members who participate in the 1-11 normal functions of the organization. A person covered under this 1-12 subsection is entitled to full medical benefits and the minimum 1-13 compensation payments under the law. 1-14 (b) In this section, unless a different meaning is plainly 1-15 required by law: 1-16 (1) "Emergency service organization" means any 1-17 organization established to provide for the general public: 1-18 (A) fire prevention and suppression; 1-19 (B) hazardous materials response operations; or 1-20 (C) emergency medical services. 1-21 (2) "Volunteer members" means individuals who are 1-22 carried on the membership list of the organization as active 1-23 participants and who receive no remuneration for their services. 2-1 (3) "Normal functions" means any response to, 2-2 participation in, or departure from an incident scene; training; 2-3 meetings; performance of equipment maintenance; or organizational 2-4 functions. 2-5 (4) "Political subdivision" means a county, 2-6 municipality, special district, school district, junior college 2-7 district, housing authority, community center for mental health and 2-8 mental retardation services established under Subchapter A, Chapter 2-9 534, Health and Safety Code, or any other legally constituted 2-10 political subdivision of the state. 2-11 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-17 passage, and it is so enacted.