HBA-DMD H.B. 108 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 108
By: Alvarado
County Affairs
2/9/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a county with a population of 1.4 million or less is not
required to provide peace officers with motor vehicle liability insurance
at county expense.  Additionally, the county is not required to provide
liability insurance for privately owned vehicles that are used for official
duties.  H.B. 108 requires a county with a population of 1,185,000 or more
to provide liability insurance at the county's expense for county peace
officers while using county or privately owned vehicles for official
duties.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 157.042, Local Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 157.042.  New Title:  MOTOR VEHICLE LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR PEACE
OFFICERS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES.  Requires a county with a population of
1,185,000, rather than 1.4 million, to insure its sheriff, constables, and
full-time deputies against liability to third persons arising from the
operation or maintenance of privately owned motor vehicles to the extent in
which the vehicles are used for the performance of county business or law
enforcement duties.  Creates Subdivision (1) from existing text and
Subdivision (2) from new text.  Deletes "Automobile" and "Of More Than 1.4
Million" from existing title.  Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.