By Gallegos                                      S.B. No. 981

      75R3599 ESH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to liability insurance for motor vehicles operated by law

 1-3     enforcement officers of a political subdivision.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 612, Government Code, is amended by

 1-6     adding Section 612.004 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 612.004.  LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT MOTOR

 1-8     VEHICLES OF POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.  (a)  The governing body of a

 1-9     political subdivision shall provide for insuring each law

1-10     enforcement officer appointed or employed by the political

1-11     subdivision against liability to third persons arising out of the

1-12     officer's operation of a motor vehicle owned, leased, or otherwise

1-13     controlled by the political subdivision at any time that the

1-14     officer is authorized to operate the vehicle, including times that

1-15     the officer is authorized to operate the vehicle while off-duty.

1-16           (b)  The motor vehicle liability insurance policy must comply

1-17     with Subchapter D, Chapter 601, Transportation Code, except that

1-18     the minimum coverage amounts are the maximum amounts of liability

1-19     for the political subdivision specified by Section 101.023, Civil

1-20     Practice and Remedies Code.

1-21           (c)  The policy may exclude coverage for operation of a motor

1-22     vehicle in the commission of a criminal offense other than a

1-23     traffic offense.

1-24           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-1           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

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

 2-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.