81R6480 CS-D
By: Ortiz, Jr. H.B. No. 1556
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to local public health and public safety alerts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter I to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ALERTS
Sec. 418.190. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety
of the State of Texas.
(2) "Director" means the public safety director.
(3) "Emergency management director" means a person
designated to serve as emergency management director under Section
418.1015.
(4) "Health authority" has the meaning assigned by
Section 81.003, Health and Safety Code.
Sec. 418.191. LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ALERTS.
With the cooperation of the Texas Department of Transportation and
emergency management directors, the department shall develop and
implement a system for municipalities and counties to issue local
public health and public safety alerts through an existing system
of dynamic message signs.
Sec. 418.192. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The director is the
statewide coordinator of the local public health and public safety
alert system.
(b) The director shall adopt rules and issue directives as
necessary to ensure proper implementation of the alert system. The
rules and directives must include:
(1) the procedures to be used by a health authority to
verify a threat to public health within the health authority's
jurisdiction;
(2) the procedures to be used by a local law
enforcement agency to verify a threat to public safety within the
agency's jurisdiction; and
(3) the procedures to be used by an individual or
entity to report information about a threat to public health or
public safety.
(c) The director shall prescribe forms for use by an
emergency management director for a municipality or county in
requesting activation of the alert system.
Sec. 418.193. DUTIES OF TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
(a) The Texas Department of Transportation shall:
(1) cooperate with the department and emergency
management directors and assist in developing and implementing the
alert system; and
(2) establish a plan for providing relevant
information to the public in affected areas of the state through an
existing system of dynamic message signs.
(b) The Texas Department of Transportation may coordinate
the implementation of its duties under this subchapter with the
implementation of the silver alert system under Subchapter M,
Chapter 411.
Sec. 418.194. NOTIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL THREAT TO
PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) An emergency management
director may notify the department if the emergency management
director receives notice from:
(1) a health authority of a verified threat to public
health within the health authority's jurisdiction; or
(2) a local law enforcement agency of a verified
threat to public safety within the agency's jurisdiction.
(b) The emergency management director must determine that
the information provided by a health authority or a local law
enforcement agency poses a credible threat to the municipality or
county.
Sec. 418.195. ACTIVATION. (a) On the request of an
emergency management director, the department shall activate the
alert system and notify appropriate participants in the alert
system.
(b) The department shall send the alert to designated media
outlets in the area affected by the public health or public safety
threat. Following receipt of the alert, participating media
outlets may issue the alert at designated intervals.
Sec. 418.196. CONTENT OF LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC
SAFETY ALERT. A local public health or public safety alert must
include:
(1) all appropriate information that is provided by
the emergency management director; and
(2) information on whom an individual in the affected
area can contact for more information.
Sec. 418.197. TERMINATION OF LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC
SAFETY ALERT. (a) The director shall terminate any activation of
the alert with respect to a local public health or public safety
alert not later than the earlier of the time at which:
(1) the local public health or public safety threat is
resolved; or
(2) the notification period ends, as determined by
department rule.
(b) An emergency management director that requests
activation of the alert system under this subchapter shall notify
the department as soon as possible that the local public health or
public safety threat is resolved.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.