SRC-DPW H.B. 3207 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3207
76R7254 SMJ-DBy: Ramsay (Madla)
Jurisprudence
5/6/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law requires all district clerks to obtain errors and
omissions insurance or similar coverage from a governmental pool operating
under Chapter 119, Local Government Code, and requires a district or deputy
clerk to obtain a separate policy to cover losses due to burglary and other
enumerated occurrences.  The language of the law does not recognize the use
of self-insurance funds, also known as governmental and intergovernmental
pools, or risk retention groups authorized under Article 715c, V.T.C.S.
This bill would authorize a clerk to obtain coverage issued by a
governmental unit under Article 715c, V.T.C.S., and provide that both types
of required coverage are addressed in Section 51.302, and increase the
minimum amount of coverage a clerk is required to purchase. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 3207 revises the requirement for insurance coverage for
district clerks. 

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 Section 51.302(c), Government Code, to require that each
district clerk obtain an insurance policy from a governmental unit under
Chapter 1084, Acts of the 70th Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article
715c, V.T.C.S.) to cover the district clerk and any deputy clerk against
losses from burglary, theft, robbery, counterfeit currency, or destruction.
Requires the amount of the coverage to be in an amount equal to the maximum
amount of fees collected in any year during the term of office immediately
preceding the term for which the insurance is obtained, except that the
amount is prohibited from being less than $20,000, rather than $10,000. 

SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 51.302(e), Government Code (prohibiting the
amount each district clerk is required to obtain in an insurance policy
from exceeding $20,000). 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.