By Garcia H.B. No. 1166
75R5794 ESH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to municipal regulations concerning insurance for
1-3 taxicabs.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 215.004, Local Government Code, is
1-6 amended by redesignating Subsection (c) as Subsection (d) and
1-7 amending that subsection, and by adding a new Subsection (c), to
1-8 read as follows:
1-9 (c) Insurance required for a taxicab by a municipality under
1-10 Subsection (b) must be obtained from a reliable insurance company
1-11 authorized to do business in this state and in good standing with
1-12 the Texas Department of Insurance. For purposes of this section,
1-13 an insurance company is considered reliable if the company is not
1-14 in a hazardous financial condition as described by Article 1.32,
1-15 Insurance Code. Except as provided by this subsection, a
1-16 municipality may not regulate an insurance company insuring a
1-17 taxicab in the municipality under this section or other general
1-18 law.
1-19 (d) In regulating passenger taxicab transportation services
1-20 under this section, a municipality is performing a governmental
1-21 function. Except as limited by Subsection (c), a [A] municipality
1-22 may carry out the provisions of this section to the extent the
1-23 governing body of the municipality considers it necessary or
1-24 appropriate.
2-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.