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.