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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to designation of certain vehicles of the Texas Division |
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of Emergency Management as authorized emergency vehicles. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 541.201(1), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(1) "Authorized emergency vehicle" means: |
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(A) a fire department or police vehicle; |
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(B) a public or private ambulance operated by a |
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person who has been issued a license by the [Texas] Department of |
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State Health Services; |
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(C) a municipal department or public service |
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corporation emergency vehicle that has been designated or |
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authorized by the governing body of a municipality; |
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(D) a vehicle that has been designated by the |
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department under Section 546.0065; |
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(E) a private vehicle of a volunteer firefighter |
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or a certified emergency medical services employee or volunteer |
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when responding to a fire alarm or medical emergency; |
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(F) [(E)] an industrial emergency response |
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vehicle, including an industrial ambulance, when responding to an |
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emergency, but only if the vehicle is operated in compliance with |
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criteria in effect September 1, 1989, and established by the |
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predecessor of the Texas Industrial Emergency Services Board of the |
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State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas; |
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(G) [(F)] a vehicle of a blood bank or tissue |
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bank, accredited or approved under the laws of this state or the |
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United States, when making emergency deliveries of blood, drugs, |
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medicines, or organs; or |
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(H) [(G)] a vehicle used for law enforcement |
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purposes that is owned or leased by a federal governmental entity. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 546, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 546.0065 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 546.0065. AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES OF THE TEXAS |
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DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. The department shall designate |
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vehicles of the Texas Division of Emergency Management that may be |
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operated as authorized emergency vehicles. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |