By Reyna of Bexar H.B. No. 1551
77R6170 DLF-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to motor vehicle liability insurance for certain emergency
1-3 medical services vehicles.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 601.072, Transportation Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 601.072. MINIMUM COVERAGE AMOUNTS. (a) Except as
1-8 provided by Subsection (b), the [The] minimum amounts of motor
1-9 vehicle liability insurance coverage required to establish
1-10 financial responsibility under this chapter are:
1-11 (1) $20,000 for bodily injury to or death of one
1-12 person in one accident;
1-13 (2) $40,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or
1-14 more persons in one accident, subject to the amount provided by
1-15 Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the
1-16 persons; and
1-17 (3) $15,000 for damage to or destruction of property
1-18 of others in one accident.
1-19 (b) The minimum amounts of motor vehicle liability insurance
1-20 coverage required to establish financial responsibility under this
1-21 chapter for an emergency medical services vehicle operated by an
1-22 emergency medical services provider licensed under Chapter 773,
1-23 Health and Safety Code, other than an emergency medical services
1-24 vehicle operated by the state or a municipality or other political
2-1 subdivision of the state, are:
2-2 (1) $100,000 for bodily injury to or death of one
2-3 person in one accident;
2-4 (2) $200,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or
2-5 more persons in one accident, subject to the amount provided by
2-6 Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the
2-7 persons; and
2-8 (3) $75,000 for damage to or destruction of property
2-9 of others in one accident.
2-10 (c) The coverage required under Subsection (a) or (b) may
2-11 exclude, with respect to one accident:
2-12 (1) the first $250 of liability for bodily injury to
2-13 or death of one person;
2-14 (2) the first $500 of liability for bodily injury to
2-15 or death of two or more persons, subject to the amount provided by
2-16 Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the
2-17 persons; and
2-18 (3) the first $250 of liability for property damage to
2-19 or destruction of property of others.
2-20 SECTION 2. Section 773.0571, Health and Safety Code, is
2-21 amended to read as follows:
2-22 Sec. 773.0571. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROVIDER LICENSE. The
2-23 department shall issue to an emergency medical services provider a
2-24 license that is valid for two years if the department is satisfied
2-25 that:
2-26 (1) the emergency medical services provider has
2-27 adequate staff to meet the staffing standards prescribed by this
3-1 chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter;
3-2 (2) each emergency medical services vehicle is
3-3 adequately constructed, equipped, maintained, and operated to
3-4 render basic or advanced life support services safely and
3-5 efficiently;
3-6 (3) each emergency medical services vehicle complies
3-7 with Chapter 601, Transportation Code;
3-8 (4) the emergency medical services provider offers
3-9 safe and efficient services for emergency prehospital care and
3-10 transportation of patients; and
3-11 (5) [(4)] the emergency medical services provider
3-12 complies with the rules adopted by the board under this chapter.
3-13 SECTION 3. Section 601.003(b), Transportation Code, is
3-14 amended to read as follows:
3-15 (b) For purposes of this chapter, a judgment is considered
3-16 to be satisfied as to the appropriate part of the judgment set out
3-17 by this subsection if:
3-18 (1) the total amount credited on one or more judgments
3-19 for bodily injury to or death of one person resulting from one
3-20 accident equals or exceeds the amount required under Section
3-21 601.072(a)(1) or (b)(1), as applicable, to establish financial
3-22 responsibility;
3-23 (2) the total amount credited on one or more judgments
3-24 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons resulting from
3-25 one accident equals or exceeds the amount required under Section
3-26 601.072(a)(2) or (b)(2), as applicable, to establish financial
3-27 responsibility; or
4-1 (3) the total amount credited on one or more judgments
4-2 for damage to or destruction of property of another resulting from
4-3 one accident equals or exceeds the amount required under Section
4-4 601.072(a)(3) or (b)(3), as applicable, to establish financial
4-5 responsibility.
4-6 SECTION 4. (a) Section 601.072, Transportation Code, as
4-7 amended by this Act, applies only to the operation of an emergency
4-8 medical services vehicle on or after January 1, 2002. The
4-9 operation of an emergency medical services vehicle before January
4-10 1, 2002, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before
4-11 the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect
4-12 for that purpose.
4-13 (b) Section 773.0571, Health and Safety Code, as amended by
4-14 this Act, applies only to an emergency medical services provider
4-15 license that is issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2002. A
4-16 license that is issued or renewed before January 1, 2002, is
4-17 governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective
4-18 date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that
4-19 purpose.
4-20 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.