SRC-JXG H.B. 2110 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2110
76R2227 PAM-FBy: Bonnen (Jackson)
Intergovernmental Relations
4/26/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, the Harris County Office of Human Resources & Risk Management
coordinates the purchase of separate crime and public employee dishonesty
insurance policies for various county departments. H.B. 2110 would
authorize the commissioners court of a county to obtain insurance or
similar coverage from specified entities to insure a county officer or
employee from liability for losses arising from the performance of official
duties by the officer or duties of employment, and would provide that an
insurance policy purchased may be a blanket insurance policy covering some
or all county officers or employees. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2110 authorizes the commissioners court of a county to
obtain general liability insurance for county officials. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 157C, Local Government Code, by adding Section
157.043, as follows: 

Sec. 157.043. GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR COUNTY OFFICIALS. (a) Defines
"county officer or employee."  
 
(b) Authorizes the commissioners court of a county to obtain insurance or
similar coverage from a governmental pool operating under Chapter 119 or a
self-insurance fund or risk retention group operating under Article 715c,
V.T.C.S., for a county officer or employee, insuring the officer or
employee from liability for losses arising from the performance of official
duties by the officer or duties of employment by the employee, including
losses resulting from errors or omissions of the officer or employee or
from crime, dishonesty, or theft.  

(c) Provides that an insurance policy purchased under Subsection (b) may be
a blanket insurance policy covering some or all county officers or
employees. Authorizes the commissioners court to self-insure for part or
all of any deductible required under a blanket insurance policy. Authorizes
a blanket insurance policy purchased under this subsection to be used to
satisfy any requirement for insurance required of a county officer by any
law.  

(d) Provides that this section is cumulative of other statutory, common
law, or constitutional provisions. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.