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SB 2990

Relating to removing the requirement of provision of workers' compensation insurance coverage for Texas Task Force 1 members and members of intrastate fire mutual aid system teams and regional incident management teams.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Charles Schwertner

Texas bill removes mandatory workers' compensation insurance requirements for emergency response volunteers, risking financial hardship for injured first responders while reducing agency costs.

Referred to Business & Commerce
#disasterpreparedness&relief(i0211) #emergencymanagement #texasdivisionof(vp6fw) #education--higher--institutions&programs(i0223) #firesafety&prevention(s0273) #firefighters&police--general(i0370) #health--emergencyservices&personnel(i0384) #labor--workers'compensation(i0470) #stateemployees(i0626) #texasa&mengineeringextensionservice(u0235)
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Bill Summary · SB 2990

Legislative bill overview

SB 2990 would remove the mandatory requirement for workers' compensation insurance coverage for members of Texas Task Force 1 (a specialized disaster response team), intrastate fire mutual aid system teams, and regional incident management teams. Currently, these volunteer and emergency response personnel must be covered by workers' compensation insurance, and this bill seeks to eliminate that requirement.

Why is this important

Workers' compensation insurance protects emergency responders and volunteers if they suffer job-related injuries or illnesses, covering medical costs and lost wages. Removing this requirement could leave thousands of first responders financially vulnerable in case of workplace injury, while potentially reducing operational costs for agencies managing these teams. This directly affects both individual financial security and the operational structure of Texas's emergency response systems.

Potential points of contention

  • Worker protection vs. cost savings: Eliminating mandatory coverage removes a safety net for injured volunteers and responders, though it may reduce administrative and insurance costs for emergency management agencies
  • Liability exposure: Without workers' compensation requirements, questions arise about who bears responsibility and liability costs if responders are injured during emergency operations
  • Volunteer recruitment impact: Removing benefits protections could make these demanding roles less attractive to potential volunteers, potentially affecting emergency response capacity

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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