1-1  By:  Gallegos                                         S.B. No. 1225
    1-2        (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 1995; March 16, 1995, read
    1-3  first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 5, 1995,
    1-4  reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0;
    1-5  May 5, 1995, sent to printer.)
    1-6                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-7                                AN ACT
    1-8  relating to a report on fire protection services by the Texas
    1-9  Commission on Fire Protection.
   1-10        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-11        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 419, Government Code, is
   1-12  amended by adding Section 419.012 to read as follows:
   1-13        Sec. 419.012.  FIRE PROTECTION REPORT.  (a)  The commission
   1-14  shall file annually with the governor and the presiding officer of
   1-15  each house of the legislature a comprehensive report on the
   1-16  condition of fire protection services in the state.  The report
   1-17  shall:
   1-18              (1)  present and analyze data relating to the
   1-19  capability of fire departments, rural fire prevention districts,
   1-20  and other fire-fighting organizations within the state to deliver
   1-21  effective fire protection services;
   1-22              (2)  discuss the implications of the data and analyses
   1-23  presented and make recommendations to improve the delivery of
   1-24  effective fire protection services;
   1-25              (3)  address the effectiveness of emergency medical
   1-26  services, rescue services, services involved in response to the
   1-27  release of hazardous materials, and other services delivered by
   1-28  professional and volunteer fire departments and other organizations
   1-29  involved in fire protection; and
   1-30              (4)  provide statistical information regarding
   1-31  certified firefighters, including information on the ethnic
   1-32  composition of professional and volunteer fire departments.
   1-33        (b)  Each local government with a fire department and each
   1-34  organization and association involved in fire protection services
   1-35  shall provide the commission with the data necessary to compile the
   1-36  report required under Subsection (a), in a form prescribed by the
   1-37  commission.
   1-38        SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-39        (b)  The Texas Commission on Fire Protection shall file its
   1-40  first annual report required by Section 419.012, Government Code,
   1-41  as added by this Act, on or before September 1, 1996.
   1-42        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-43  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-44  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-45  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-46  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
   1-47                               * * * * *