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AN ACT
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relating to certain insurance-related matters involving rural |
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volunteer firefighters, volunteer police force members, or |
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emergency services districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 614.072(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) The director may adopt rules necessary to assist rural |
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volunteer fire departments in the payment of: |
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(1) workers' compensation insurance; |
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(2) audit costs for workers' compensation claims in |
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any year in which there is an abnormally high number of wildfires; |
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and |
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(3) accidental death and disability insurance. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 614, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter H to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER H. INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIRED FOR |
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VOLUNTEER POLICE FORCE MEMBERS |
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Sec. 614.121. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "volunteer |
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police force member" means: |
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(1) a person summoned under Section 341.011, Local |
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Government Code, to serve on a special police force; |
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(2) a police reserve force member appointed under |
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Section 341.012, Local Government Code; and |
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(3) any other person assigned by a state agency or |
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political subdivision to perform, without compensation, any duties |
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typically performed by a peace officer. |
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Sec. 614.122. INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIRED. (a) Each |
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volunteer police force member must be insured or covered by the |
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applicable state agency or political subdivision against any injury |
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suffered by the police force member in the course and scope of |
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performing the person's assigned duties at the request of or under a |
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contract with a state agency or political subdivision. |
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(b) The applicable state agency or political subdivision |
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may satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a) by: |
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(1) providing insurance coverage; or |
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(2) entering into an interlocal agreement with another |
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political subdivision providing for self-insurance. |
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SECTION 3. Section 775.084(i), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(i) This section does not apply to: |
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(1) the purchase or lease of real property; |
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(2) an item or service that the board determines can be |
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obtained from only one source; |
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(3) a contract for fire extinguishment and suppression |
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services, emergency rescue services, or ambulance services; |
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(4) an emergency expenditure; |
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(5) the purchase of vehicle fuel; [or] |
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(6) the purchase of firefighter bunker gear; |
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(7) the purchase of insurance coverage; or |
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(8) repairs funded by a payment made under an |
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insurance claim. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter H, Chapter 614, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, applies only to a volunteer police force member |
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performing assigned duties on or after January 1, 2008. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2667 was passed by the House on May |
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11, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 132, Nays 4, 3 present, not |
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voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to |
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H.B. No. 2667 on May 25, 2007, and requested the appointment of a |
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conference committee to consider the differences between the two |
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houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report |
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on H.B. No. 2667 on May 27, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 139, |
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Nays 1, 2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2667 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 23, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference |
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committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and |
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that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. |
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2667 on May 27, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |