The bill, S.B. No. 868, aims to amend the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program by adjusting the assessment on certain insurers that fund the program. Specifically, it modifies Section 2007.002 of the Insurance Code to remove the previous cap on the total amount that could be collected from insurers, which was either the total appropriated amount from the volunteer fire department assistance fund or $30 million. The new language allows the comptroller to assess amounts necessary to meet the funding needs as determined by the commissioner, excluding appropriations for contributions to the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System.

Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions in Section 614.102 of the Government Code, mandating that at least 10 percent of the appropriations for a state fiscal year be allocated to assist volunteer fire departments in high-risk wildfire areas. It also stipulates that if the assistance requested by these departments is less than the allocated amount, the remaining funds can be redirected to other assistance requests within the program. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Insurance Code 2007.002, Government Code 614.102 (Insurance Code 2007, Government Code 614)