By: Latham (Senate Sponsor - Deuell) H.B. No. 2667

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2007; May 15, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 18, 2007, reported favorably, as amended, by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 18, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Duncan

Amend H.B. No. 2667 (House Engrossment Version) in SECTION 2 of the bill as follows:

(1) In added Section 614.122, Government Code (page 1, line 48), between the period and "Each", insert "(a)".

(2) In added Section 614.122, Government Code (page 1, line 49), between "insured" and "by", insert "or covered".

(3) At the end of added Section 614.122, Government Code (page 1, between lines 53 and 54), insert the following:

(b) The applicable state agency or political subdivision may satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a) by:

(1) providing insurance coverage; or

(2) entering into an interlocal agreement with another political subdivision providing for self-insurance.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain insurance-related matters involving rural volunteer firefighters, volunteer police force members, or emergency services districts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 614.072(b), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The director may adopt rules necessary to assist rural volunteer fire departments in the payment of:

(1) workers' compensation insurance;

(2) audit costs for workers' compensation claims in any year in which there is an abnormally high number of wildfires; and

(3) accidental death and disability insurance.

SECTION 2. Chapter 614, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter H to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H. INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIRED FOR

VOLUNTEER POLICE FORCE MEMBERS

Sec. 614.121. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "volunteer police force member" means:

(1) a person summoned under Section 341.011, Local Government Code, to serve on a special police force;

(2) a police reserve force member appointed under Section 341.012, Local Government Code; and

(3) any other person assigned by a state agency or political subdivision to perform, without compensation, any duties typically performed by a peace officer.

Sec. 614.122. INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIRED. Each volunteer police force member must be insured by the applicable state agency or political subdivision against any injury suffered by the police force member in the course and scope of performing the person's assigned duties at the request of or under a contract with a state agency or political subdivision.

SECTION 3. Section 775.084(i), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(i) This section does not apply to:

(1) the purchase or lease of real property;

(2) an item or service that the board determines can be obtained from only one source;

(3) a contract for fire extinguishment and suppression services, emergency rescue services, or ambulance services;

(4) an emergency expenditure;

(5) the purchase of vehicle fuel; [or]

(6) the purchase of firefighter bunker gear;

(7) the purchase of insurance coverage; or

(8) repairs funded by a payment made under an insurance claim.

SECTION 4. Subchapter H, Chapter 614, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a volunteer police force member performing assigned duties on or after January 1, 2008.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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