The Texas Forest Service must run the program, and the director has rulemaking, reporting, and fund-distribution duties. Certain assistance cannot be treated as compensation, and program administration costs are capped at 7% of prior-year fund deposits.
Sec. 614.072. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. (a) The Texas Forest Service shall administer the rural volunteer fire department insurance program established under this subchapter. (b) The director may adopt rules necessary to assist rural volunteer fire departments in the payment of: (1) workers' compensation insurance; (2) audit costs for workers' compensation claims in any year in which there is an abnormally high number of wildfires; and (3) accidental death and disability insurance. (c) The service may employ staff to administer the program. (d) The director shall, in consultation with the advisory committee appointed under Section 614.073: (1) determine reasonable criteria and qualifications for the distribution of money from the fund; and (2) establish a procedure for reporting and processing requests for money from the fund. (e) In developing the criteria and qualifications for the distribution of money from the fund under Subsection (d), the director may not prohibit a volunteer fire department from receiving funds from a political subdivision. (f) The director shall prepare an annual written report on the activity, status, and effectiveness of the fund and shall submit the report to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives before September 1 of each year. (g) Any assistance provided under this subchapter to a volunteer fire department or a firefighter who is a member of a volunteer fire department may not be considered compensation, and a firefighter receiving assistance under this subchapter may not be considered to be in the paid service of any governing body. (h) Administration costs associated with the program during a state fiscal year may not exceed seven percent of the total deposited to the credit of the fund as required by Section 151.801(c-2), Tax Code, during the previous fiscal year. Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1363, Sec. 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1248 (H.B. 2667), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 471 (S.B. 761), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1203 (S.B. 1455), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2015.