BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2771
84R23163 KKR-F	By: Martinez, "Mando" et al. (Taylor, Larry)
	Business & Commerce
	5/12/2015
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Interested parties assert that workers' compensation claims are serious matters for certain emergency response personnel, such as firefighters and emergency medical personnel, because of the dangerous nature of their jobs. Claims are currently restricted by the applicable definition of "course and scope of employment," which the parties contend overlooks the important reality that some emergency response personnel, after receiving notification of an emergency, must travel in a personal vehicle to or from the emergency. The parties further contend that as a result of this oversight, workers' compensation claims made by such personnel have been contested or denied. H.B. 2771 seeks to address this issue.

H.B. 2771 amends current law relating to employment activities of certain emergency response personnel for purposes of the Texas Workers' Compensation Act.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 401, Labor Code, by adding Section 401.026, as follows:

Sec. 401.026.  APPLICABILITY TO CERTAIN EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL. Provides that, for purposes of this subtitle, the travel of a firefighter or emergency medical personnel en route to an emergency call is considered to be in the course and scope of the firefighter's or emergency medical personnel's employment.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.