79R1540 YDB-D

By:  Martinez                                                     H.B. No. 804



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring notification to and approval by an 
association representing a municipality's firefighters before 
certain municipalities may outsource the provision of emergency 
medical services.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subtitle A, Title 11, Local Government Code, is 
amended by adding Chapter 345 to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 345.  OUTSOURCING MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
	Sec. 345.001.  APPLICABILITY.  This chapter applies only to 
a municipality that employs in the fire department one or more 
members whose primary duties are to provide emergency medical 
services for the municipality.
	Sec. 345.002.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "association" 
means an employee organization, in which a majority of firefighters 
employed by the municipality participate, that exists for the 
purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing or communicating with the 
municipality concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates 
of pay, hours of work, or conditions of work affecting 
firefighters.
	Sec. 345.003.  ASSOCIATION NOTIFICATION AND APPROVAL 
REQUIRED.  (a)  Before a municipality covered by this chapter may 
cease or substantially curtail the provision of emergency medical 
services by members of the fire department and instead contract 
with a person or organization to provide emergency medical services 
for the municipality, the municipality shall:
		(1)  notify the association of its intent to do so; and                
		(2)  obtain the written approval of the association to 
do so.        
	(b)  Unless a municipality covered by this chapter receives 
the written approval required by Subsection (a), the municipality 
may not cease or substantially curtail the provision of emergency 
medical services by members of the fire department and instead 
contract with a person or organization for the provision of 
emergency medical services for the municipality.
	SECTION 2.  Chapter 345, Local Government Code, as added by 
this Act, applies only to actions taken by a municipality on or 
after the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.