By: Watson S.B. No. 1801
(In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2013; March 25, 2013, read
first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;
April 18, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 18, 2013,
sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1801 By: Estes
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the adoption of fire hydrant requirements for a
wildland-urban interface in certain municipalities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 797 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 797. WILDFIRE PREVENTION
Sec. 797.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Director" means the director of the Texas A&M
Forest Service.
(2) "Wildfire" and "wildland" have the meanings
assigned by Section 88.1015, Education Code.
(3) "Wildland-urban interface" means a place where an
urban area and wildland meet and that:
(A) is designated by the director to be an
at-risk area for wildfires; or
(B) is an area within one-half mile of a place
described by Paragraph (A).
Sec. 797.002. FIRE HYDRANT REQUIREMENTS FOR WILDLAND-URBAN
INTERFACE. (a) This section applies only to a municipality with a
population of 2,500 or more, located in a county that has a
population of more than one million and less than 1.5 million, that
has within its boundaries a wildland-urban interface.
(b) A governing body of a municipality may by ordinance
require a fire hydrant located in that municipality to conform to
flow and pressure standards established by the ordinance.
(c) A municipality may consult with county and state fire
prevention agencies in adopting standards under Subsection (b).
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
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