HBA-CCH H.B. 1509 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1509 By: Yarbrough Business & Industry 3/29/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law entitles a public safety employee who is exposed to a contagious disease to reimbursement for reasonable medical expenses in the treatment for the prevention of a disease or condition caused by the exposure. For example, current law provides for preventive immunizations and vaccinations for fire fighters, peace officers, and emergency medical personnel. Public safety employees may also be exposed to hazardous material that cause disease, but current law does not entitle them to reimbursement of medical expenses for preventive treatment when exposed to hazardous materials. House Bill 1509 entitles public safety employees to reimbursement for reasonable medical expenses for the prevention of conditions caused by exposure to hazardous materials. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 1509 amends the Government Code to entitle a public safety employee who is exposed to a hazardous material to reimbursement from the employing governmental entity for reasonable medical expenses incurred in the treatment for the prevention of the conditions caused by exposure to the hazardous material if: _the exposure to the hazardous material occurs during the course of the employment; and _the employee requires preventive medical treatment because of the exposure to the hazardous material. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.