Relating to establishment of the temporary certified and insured prescribed burn manager self-insurance pool; authorizing a fee.

Contracts

• Insurance Clauses: Review all Master Service Agreements (MSAs) with landowners and subcontractors. Standard clauses requiring carriers with an "A.M. Best Rating of A- or better" must be amended. You must insert language accepting "Coverage provided by the Texas Prescribed Burn Manager Self-Insurance Pool pursuant to Insurance Code Ch. 2155."
• Defense Control: The law stipulates that TAMFS selects defense counsel for claims. Remove contract language granting your firm or the vendor the right to select defense counsel in the event of a suit.

Hiring/Training

• Mandatory Suppression Training: Participation in the pool is conditional on CIPBMs completing a specific wildfire suppression training course developed by TAMFS. This is a new requirement distinct from standard certification.
• Staffing: Ensure all burn managers maintain active CIPBM status under Natural Resources Code Section 153.048; uncertified burners are statutorily ineligible for this pool.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Per-Burn Reporting: Operations teams must implement a workflow to report the following data to TAMFS for *every* burn event:
• 1. Acres burned (by county).
• 2. Date of burn.
• 3. Outcome (specifically flagging financial loss or wildfire response).
• Audit Trail: Internal logs must mirror the data submitted to the state. Discrepancies in reporting are grounds for expulsion from the pool.

Fees & Costs

• Premiums: TAMFS will assess "reasonable fees" based on commercial market rates. Budget for premiums comparable to historic commercial levels.
• High Deductibles: The statute mandates deductibles be set "sufficiently high" to deter claims for minor losses. Organizations must ensure sufficient liquidity to cover these initial costs out-of-pocket before pool coverage applies.