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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the designation of certain airport vehicles as |
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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 Department of State |
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Health Services; |
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(C) an emergency medical services vehicle: |
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(i) authorized under an emergency medical |
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services provider license issued by the Department of State Health |
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Services under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code; and |
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(ii) operating under a contract with an |
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emergency services district that requires the emergency medical |
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services provider to respond to emergency calls with the vehicle; |
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(D) 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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(E) a county-owned or county-leased emergency |
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management vehicle that has been designated or authorized by the |
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commissioners court; |
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(F) a vehicle that has been designated by the |
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department under Section 546.0065; |
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(G) 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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(H) an industrial emergency response vehicle, |
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including an industrial ambulance, when responding to an emergency, |
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but only if the vehicle is operated in compliance with criteria in |
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effect September 1, 1989, and established by the predecessor of the |
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Texas Industrial Emergency Services Board of the State |
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Firefighters' [Firemen's] and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas; |
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(I) a vehicle of a blood bank or tissue bank, |
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accredited or approved under the laws of this state or the United |
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States, when making emergency deliveries of blood, drugs, |
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medicines, or organs; |
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(J) a vehicle used for law enforcement purposes |
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that is owned or leased by a federal governmental entity; [or] |
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(K) a private vehicle of an employee or volunteer |
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of a county emergency management division in a county with a |
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population of more than 46,500 and less than 48,000 that is |
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designated as an authorized emergency vehicle by the commissioners |
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court of that county; or |
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(L) an emergency management or airport security |
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vehicle that: |
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(i) is owned or leased by an airport |
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operated by a joint board created under Section 22.074 for which the |
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constituent agencies are populous home-rule municipalities, as |
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those terms are defined by Section 22.071; and |
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(ii) has been designated or authorized by |
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the chief executive officer of the joint board. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2017. |