By: Hegar S.B. No. 766

(In the Senate - Filed February 22, 2013; February 26, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental Relations; April 17, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 17, 2013, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 766 By: Garcia

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the regulation of volunteer fire departments, volunteer firefighters, and members of industrial emergency response teams.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 419, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 419.910 to read as follows:

Sec. 419.910. STATE REGULATION PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "state agency" has the meaning assigned by Section 2103.001.

(b) A state agency may not:

(1) regulate a volunteer fire department;

(2) require a volunteer firefighter to obtain a license or certification in order to be a volunteer firefighter; or

(3) require a member of an industrial emergency response team to obtain a license or certification in order to be a member of an industrial emergency response team.

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, 2013.

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