| 1 | 1 | | 81R828 MSE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gallegos S.B. No. 339 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to uniform reentry procedures for essential personnel |
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| 8 | 8 | | entering an area evacuated during a disaster or other emergency. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 418.018, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (d) The governor, in cooperation with the Department of |
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| 13 | 13 | | Public Safety of the State of Texas, shall by rule establish uniform |
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| 14 | 14 | | reentry procedures for essential personnel entering a disaster area |
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| 15 | 15 | | or a stricken or threatened area that has been evacuated. The |
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| 16 | 16 | | procedures must: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) authorize the orderly reentry of essential |
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| 18 | 18 | | personnel according to the critical functions provided by the |
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| 19 | 19 | | personnel in restoring normal operations to the area following an |
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| 20 | 20 | | evacuation; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) prioritize the order of reentry for the essential |
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| 22 | 22 | | personnel, including emergency responders, search and rescue |
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| 23 | 23 | | personnel, infrastructure and utility repair personnel, official |
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| 24 | 24 | | damage assessment personnel, health care providers, and businesses |
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| 25 | 25 | | essential to the return of residents; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) establish methods to authenticate the identity of |
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| 27 | 27 | | the personnel authorized to reenter the area. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 29 | 29 | | of this Act, the governor, in cooperation with the Department of |
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| 30 | 30 | | Public Safety of the State of Texas, shall adopt rules to administer |
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| 31 | 31 | | Section 418.018(d), Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 33 | 33 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 34 | 34 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 35 | 35 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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