LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 14, 2007

TO:
Honorable Wayne Smith, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB2624 by King, Phil (Relating to the authority to charge reasonable fees for certain emergency services performed by volunteer fire departments.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Local Government Code to authorize a municipality or a county that contracts with a volunteer fire department to perform emergency services in relation to a hazardous material accident or a motor vehicle accident to charge a reasonable fee for the emergency services performed by the department. The fee must be billed to the applicable insurance company of the person for whom the department performs the service.

The bill would amend the Government Code to authorize a volunteer fire department that is not operating under a contract with an emergency services district, a county, a municipality, or another political subdivision to charge a reasonable fee to the persons for whom the department performs emergency services in relation to a hazardous material accident or a motor vehicle accident. The fee must be billed to the applicable insurance company of the person for whom the department performs the service.

The provisions of the bill would apply only to an emergency service performed by a volunteer fire department on or after the effective date of the bill.

The bill would take effect immediately if it were to receive the required two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2007.


Local Government Impact

The revenue from charging a fee would help offset costs incurred by the charging entity, providing the entity an annual savings. The amount of savings would vary depending on the number of applicable emergency services performed, the costs, and the fees charged.


Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
JOB, DB