Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

      Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

      By Bonnen                                       H.B. No. 2670

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to provision of certain insurance or similar coverage for

 1-3     county officials and employees.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 157, Local Government Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 157.043 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 157.043.  AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE BLANKET POLICY.  (a)  A

 1-8     commissioners court of a county may obtain insurance or similar

 1-9     coverage from a governmental pool operating under Chapter 119 or a

1-10     self-insurance fund or risk retention group operating under Chapter

1-11     1084, Acts of the 70th Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article

1-12     715c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), for an official or employee

1-13     of the county, including county and precinct peace officers, a

1-14     district attorney who has all or part of the county within the

1-15     district attorney's jurisdiction, or an official of any special

1-16     purpose district located, in whole or in part, in the county,

1-17     against liability arising from the performance of official duties

1-18     or duties of employment, including, but not limited to, liability

1-19     resulting from errors and omissions of such officials or employees

1-20     and for losses resulting from crime, dishonesty, or theft.

1-21           (b)  A policy purchased pursuant to subsection (a) may be a

1-22     blanket policy that covers some or all of the officials or

1-23     employees of the county.  Commissioners court may self-insure for

1-24     any or all portions of the deductible that may be required under a

 2-1     blanket policy.  A blanket policy purchased pursuant to this

 2-2     section may be used to satisfy any insurance or similar coverage

 2-3     requirement for an official of the county by any law.

 2-4           (c)  This section is cumulative of the authority granted by

 2-5     constitution, common law, and other statutory provisions.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.