HBA-JEK H.B. 818 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 818 By: Noriega Urban Affairs 3/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The mayor of Houston chartered the Tri Data Corporation to study the efficiency and effectiveness of the Houston Fire Department in January, 2000. The Tri Data Corporation report concluded that while engines and ladder trucks are nominally staffed with a crew of four, two-thirds to three-fourths of the engines and ladder trucks in the Houston Fire Department operate with a crew of three each day. Two additional reports published in the last two years also emphasized the same concerns about the need to meet minimum manning standards for Houston Fire Department vehicles. House Bill 818 sets forth staffing requirements for each engine, rescue truck, hazardous material unit, airport rescue unit, or ladder truck used by a fire department in a municipality with a population of 1.5 million or more. 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 818 amends the Local Government Code to set forth requirements for minimum staffing of each engine, rescue truck, hazardous material unit, airport rescue unit, or ladder truck placed in operation during a shift by a fire department in a municipality with a population of 1.5 million or more. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.