| 
 | 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 | 
| 
 | 
AN ACT
 | 
| 
 | 
relating to the definition of an authorized emergency vehicle. | 
| 
 | 
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
| 
 | 
       SECTION 1.  Section 541.201(1), Transportation Code, is  | 
| 
 | 
amended to read as follows: | 
| 
 | 
             (1)  "Authorized emergency vehicle" means: | 
| 
 | 
                   (A)  a fire department or law enforcement [police]  | 
| 
 | 
vehicle authorized by the appropriate law enforcement authority for  | 
| 
 | 
use by a person described by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal  | 
| 
 | 
Procedure; | 
| 
 | 
                   (B)  a public or private ambulance operated by a  | 
| 
 | 
person who has been issued a license by the Texas Department of  | 
| 
 | 
Health; | 
| 
 | 
                   (C)  a municipal department or public service  | 
| 
 | 
corporation emergency vehicle that has been designated or  | 
| 
 | 
authorized by the governing body of a municipality; | 
| 
 | 
                   (D)  a private vehicle of a volunteer firefighter  | 
| 
 | 
or a certified emergency medical services employee or volunteer  | 
| 
 | 
when responding to a fire alarm or medical emergency; | 
| 
 | 
                   (E)  an industrial emergency response vehicle,  | 
| 
 | 
including an industrial ambulance, when responding to an emergency,  | 
| 
 | 
but only if the vehicle is operated in compliance with criteria in  | 
| 
 | 
effect September 1, 1989, and established by the predecessor of the  | 
| 
 | 
Texas Industrial Emergency Services Board of the State Firemen's  | 
| 
 | 
and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas; or | 
| 
 | 
                   (F)  a vehicle of a blood bank or tissue bank,  | 
| 
 | 
accredited or approved under the laws of this state or the United  | 
| 
 | 
States, when making emergency deliveries of blood, drugs,  | 
| 
 | 
medicines, or organs. | 
| 
 | 
       SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives  | 
| 
 | 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as  | 
| 
 | 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this  | 
| 
 | 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this  | 
| 
 | 
Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |