By Longoria                                     H.B. No. 2149

      75R7815 DLF-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the liability of volunteer fire departments.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 101.023(d), Civil Practice and Remedies

 1-5     Code, is amended to read as follows:

 1-6           (d)  Except as provided by Section 78.001, liability of a

 1-7     volunteer fire department under this chapter is limited to money

 1-8     damages in a maximum amount of $100,000 [for each person and

 1-9     $300,000] for each single occurrence for bodily injury, [or] death,

1-10     or [and $100,000 for each single occurrence for] injury to or

1-11     destruction of property.

1-12           SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to a cause of action that

1-13     accrues on or after the effective date of this Act.  A cause of

1-14     action that accrues before the effective date of this Act is

1-15     governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective

1-16     date of this Act and that law is continued in effect for that

1-17     purpose.

1-18           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-19           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.