By: Haywood S.B. No. 445 97S0281/1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the status of certain oil and gas workers or services 1-2 providers as independent contractors. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 406.122, Labor Code, is amended by adding 1-5 Subsection (d) to read as follows: 1-6 (d) For purposes of workers' compensation insurance 1-7 coverage, a person who performs work or provides a service for an 1-8 oil or gas well operator is an independent contractor if: 1-9 (1) the oil or gas well operator and the person 1-10 performing the work or providing the service have entered into a 1-11 written agreement stating that the person performing the work or 1-12 providing the service is an independent contractor; and 1-13 (2) the person performing the work or providing the 1-14 service is free, while under contract to the oil or gas well 1-15 operator, to work for other oil or gas well operators or is free to 1-16 send helpers to work for other oil or gas well operators. 1-17 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-18 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.