| 1 | 1 | | 84R21811 AAF-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Alonzo, Flynn H.B. No. 1557 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1557: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Phillips C.S.H.B. No. 1557 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to creation of a search and rescue task force in each |
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| 10 | 10 | | disaster field response region. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 418.043, Government Code, is amended to |
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| 13 | 13 | | read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 418.043. OTHER POWERS AND DUTIES. The division shall: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) determine requirements of the state and its |
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| 16 | 16 | | political subdivisions for food, clothing, and other necessities in |
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| 17 | 17 | | event of a disaster; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) procure and position supplies, medicines, |
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| 19 | 19 | | materials, and equipment; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) adopt standards and requirements for local and |
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| 21 | 21 | | interjurisdictional emergency management plans; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) periodically review local and interjurisdictional |
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| 23 | 23 | | emergency management plans; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (5) coordinate deployment of mobile support units; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (6) establish and operate training programs and |
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| 26 | 26 | | programs of public information or assist political subdivisions and |
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| 27 | 27 | | emergency management agencies to establish and operate the |
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| 28 | 28 | | programs; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (7) make surveys of public and private industries, |
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| 30 | 30 | | resources, and facilities in the state that are necessary to carry |
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| 31 | 31 | | out the purposes of this chapter; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (8) plan and make arrangements for the availability |
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| 33 | 33 | | and use of any private facilities, services, and property and |
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| 34 | 34 | | provide for payment for use under terms and conditions agreed on if |
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| 35 | 35 | | the facilities are used and payment is necessary; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (9) establish a register of persons with types of |
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| 37 | 37 | | training and skills important in disaster mitigation, |
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| 38 | 38 | | preparedness, response, and recovery; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (10) establish a register of mobile and construction |
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| 40 | 40 | | equipment and temporary housing available for use in a disaster; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (11) assist political subdivisions in developing |
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| 42 | 42 | | plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary |
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| 43 | 43 | | sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (12) prepare, for issuance by the governor, executive |
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| 45 | 45 | | orders and regulations necessary or appropriate in coping with |
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| 46 | 46 | | disasters; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (13) cooperate with the federal government and any |
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| 48 | 48 | | public or private agency or entity in achieving any purpose of this |
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| 49 | 49 | | chapter and in implementing programs for disaster mitigation, |
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| 50 | 50 | | preparation, response, and recovery; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (14) develop a plan to raise public awareness and |
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| 52 | 52 | | expand the capability of the information and referral network under |
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| 53 | 53 | | Section 531.0312; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (15) improve the integration of volunteer groups, |
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| 55 | 55 | | including faith-based organizations, into emergency management |
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| 56 | 56 | | plans; |
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| 57 | 57 | | (16) cooperate with the Federal Emergency Management |
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| 58 | 58 | | Agency to create uniform guidelines for acceptable home repairs |
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| 59 | 59 | | following disasters and promote public awareness of the guidelines; |
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| 60 | 60 | | (17) cooperate with state agencies to: |
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| 61 | 61 | | (A) encourage the public to participate in |
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| 62 | 62 | | volunteer emergency response teams and organizations that respond |
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| 63 | 63 | | to disasters; and |
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| 64 | 64 | | (B) provide information on those programs in |
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| 65 | 65 | | state disaster preparedness and educational materials and on |
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| 66 | 66 | | Internet websites; |
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| 67 | 67 | | (18) establish a liability awareness program for |
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| 68 | 68 | | volunteers, including medical professionals; |
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| 69 | 69 | | (19) define "individuals with special needs" in the |
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| 70 | 70 | | context of a disaster; |
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| 71 | 71 | | (20) establish and operate, subject to the |
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| 72 | 72 | | availability of funds, a search and rescue task force in each field |
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| 73 | 73 | | response region established by the division to assist in search, |
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| 74 | 74 | | rescue, and recovery efforts before, during, and after a natural or |
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| 75 | 75 | | man-made disaster; and |
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| 76 | 76 | | (21) [(20)] do other things necessary, incidental, or |
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| 77 | 77 | | appropriate for the implementation of this chapter. |
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| 78 | 78 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 79 | 79 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 80 | 80 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 81 | 81 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 82 | 82 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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