By Armbrister                                          S.B. No. 740
         76R7135 DLF-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to liability for damages resulting from contact with a
 1-3     high voltage overhead line.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 752.008, Health and Safety Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 752.008.  LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES.  (a)  If a violation of
 1-8     this chapter results in physical or electrical contact with a high
 1-9     voltage overhead line, the person, firm, corporation, or
1-10     association that committed the violation is liable to the owner or
1-11     operator of the line for all damages to the facilities and for all
1-12     liability that the owner or operator incurs as a result of the
1-13     contact.
1-14           (b)  This section does not affect the immunity from suit or
1-15     liability of the state or a political subdivision of the state, and
1-16     an owner or operator of a high voltage overhead line may not
1-17     recover damages under this section from the state or any political
1-18     subdivision of the state.
1-19           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-24     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-1     passage, and it is so enacted.