By Alvarado H.B. No. 108
76R139 DLF-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to motor vehicle liability insurance for vehicles operated
1-3 by peace officers in certain counties.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 157.042, Local Government Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 157.042. MOTOR VEHICLE [AUTOMOBILE] LIABILITY INSURANCE
1-8 FOR PEACE OFFICERS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES [OF MORE THAN 1.4 MILLION].
1-9 (a) A county with a population of more than 1,185,000 [1.4
1-10 million] shall insure its sheriff, constables, and full-time
1-11 deputies of those officers against liability to third persons
1-12 arising from the operation or maintenance of:
1-13 (1) county-owned or county-leased motor vehicles; and
1-14 (2) privately owned motor vehicles to the extent used
1-15 for the performance of county business or law enforcement duties.
1-16 (b) A county may satisfy the requirement of Subsection (a)
1-17 by requiring that the person to be covered purchase an extended
1-18 coverage endorsement to an individually owned liability insurance
1-19 policy and by reimbursing the person for its cost. The extended
1-20 coverage endorsement must be in an amount equal to or greater than
1-21 that required by Subsection (d) and must extend coverage to include
1-22 the operation of [county] vehicles in the scope of the person's
1-23 employment. The county may require a person insured in this manner
1-24 to provide proof of coverage.
2-1 (c) A county may elect to comply with the requirements of
2-2 this section by self-insuring in accordance with Section 601.124,
2-3 Transportation Code.
2-4 (d) Liability coverage required under this section must be
2-5 in amounts equal to or greater than the amounts required by Chapter
2-6 601, Transportation Code.
2-7 (e) In this section, "motor vehicle" means a vehicle for
2-8 which motor vehicle insurance is written under Subchapter A,
2-9 Chapter 5, Insurance Code.
2-10 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-11 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.