HBA-EVB S.B. 34 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 34
By: Shapiro
Civil Practices
4/19/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, volunteer centers are nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations whose
primary purpose is to recruit and refer individuals for other nonprofit
groups in an area.  In 1987, the 70th Texas Legislature passed the Texas
Charitable Immunity and Liability Act (Chapter 84, Civil Practices and
Remedies Code) (Act) to protect charitable organizations from expensive
lawsuits.  The Act establishes a $1 million dollar liability limit in suits
against charitable organizations for each single occurrence of bodily
injury or death.  At present, it is unclear whether volunteer centers are
covered under this Act.  S.B. 34 includes volunteer centers among
organizations protected under the Act. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subdivision (1), Section 84.003, Civil Practice and
Remedies Code, to redefine a "charitable organization" to include a
volunteer center, as defined in Section 411.126 (Access to Criminal History
Record Information: Volunteer Centers), Government Code.  Makes a
conforming change. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
 Effective date: upon passage.