Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2320 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 2320
	1	+	By: Paul, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Taylor) H.B. No. 2320
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 11, 2019;
	3	+	April 17, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
	4	+	Business & Commerce; May 10, 2019, reported favorably by the
	5	+	following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 10, 2019, sent to printer.)
	6	+	Click here to see the committee vote
2	7
3	8
	9	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	10		AN ACT
5	11		relating to services provided during and following a disaster.
6	12		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
7	13		SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
8	14		amended by adding Sections 418.054, 418.055, and 418.056 to read as
9	15		follows:
10	16		Sec. 418.054. COMMUNICATIONS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A
11	17		DISASTER. The division, in collaboration with other appropriate
12	18		entities selected by the division, shall to the extent practicable
13	19		include private wireless communication, Internet, and cable
14	20		service providers in the disaster planning process and determine
15	21		the availability of the providers' portable satellite
16	22		communications equipment and portable mobile telephone towers to
17	23		assist in response and recovery immediately following disasters.
18	24		Sec. 418.055. HARDENING OF UTILITY FACILITIES AND CRITICAL
19	25		INFRASTRUCTURE. (a) In this section, "critical infrastructure"
20	26		includes hospitals and fire stations.
21	27		(b) The division shall identify methods for hardening
22	28		utility facilities and critical infrastructure in order to maintain
23	29		operations of essential services during disasters.
24	30		(c) The division shall, in collaboration with the Texas
25	31		Commission on Environmental Quality, the Railroad Commission of
26	32		Texas, and any other state agencies selected by the division:
27	33		(1) determine methods for effectively reducing risks
28	34		and impacts on utility facilities and critical infrastructure from
29	35		a disaster; and
30	36		(2) encourage public and private entities that are
31	37		responsible for utility facilities and critical infrastructure to
32	38		implement the methods determined under Subdivision (1).
33	39		(d) This section does not apply to a utility facility owned
34	40		or controlled by a utility regulated by the Public Utility
35	41		Commission of Texas.
36	42		Sec. 418.056. REPORT ON BUILDING TRADE SERVICES FOLLOWING
37	43		DISASTERS. (a) Not later than November 1, 2020, the division shall
38	44		submit a report to members of the legislature on improving the
39	45		oversight, accountability, and availability of building trade
40	46		services following disasters. The report must include:
41	47		(1) strategies to increase the availability of
42	48		tradespeople, including plumbers and electricians, following a
43	49		disaster;
44	50		(2) approaches to increase prosecutions of alleged
45	51		fraud related to building trade services offered following a
46	52		disaster; and
47	53		(3) methods to encourage performance bond
48	54		requirements in contracts for building trade services to be
49	55		performed following a disaster.
50	56		(b) The division shall consult with the Texas Department of
51	57		Licensing and Regulation and any other state agencies selected by
52	58		the division, local governments, trade associations, and law
53	59		enforcement groups in preparing the report described by Subsection
54	60		(a).
55	61		(c) This section expires January 1, 2021.
56	62		SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 17, Utilities Code, is
57	63		amended by adding Section 17.010 to read as follows:
58	64		Sec. 17.010. DISASTER BILLING AWARENESS. The commission in
59	65		cooperation with the Texas Division of Emergency Management shall:
60	66		(1) promote public awareness of bill payment
61	67		assistance available during a disaster for electric, water, and
62	68		wastewater services, including assistance for consumers on level
63	69		billing plans; and
64	70		(2) provide the public with information about billing
65	71		practices during a disaster to ensure that consumers of electric,
66	72		water, and wastewater services have an adequate understanding of
67	73		their rights.
68	74		SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2019, the Texas
69	75		Division of Emergency Management and the Public Utility Commission
70	76		of Texas shall begin the public awareness campaign required by
71	77		Section 17.010, Utilities Code, as added by this Act.
72	78		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
73		-	______________________________ ______________________________
74		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
75		-	I certify that H.B. No. 2320 was passed by the House on April
76		-	11, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not
77		-	voting.
78		-	______________________________
79		-	Chief Clerk of the House
80		-	I certify that H.B. No. 2320 was passed by the Senate on May
81		-	15, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
82		-	______________________________
83		-	Secretary of the Senate
84		-	APPROVED: _____________________
85		-	Date
86		-	_____________________
87		-	Governor
	79	+	* * * * *