86R19880 SRA-F
By: Murr H.B. No. 4067
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a wet debris work group.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 418.054 to read as follows:
Sec. 418.054. WET DEBRIS WORK GROUP. (a) In this section:
(1) "Wet debris" means natural or man-made debris
located in bodies of water, including lakes, rivers, streams, bays,
wetlands, and tidal areas, that results from a disaster.
(2) "Work group" means the wet debris work group
established under this section.
(b) The wet debris work group is established and consists of
at least 13 but not more than 21 representatives of local, state,
and federal governmental entities and private entities who are
appointed by the governor from a list submitted by the lieutenant
governor and speaker of the house of representatives. The governor
shall, to the extent possible, appoint to the work group
representatives of:
(1) the division;
(2) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
(3) the Texas Department of Transportation;
(4) the General Land Office;
(5) the Texas Historical Commission;
(6) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(7) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
(8) the United States Army Corps of Engineers;
(9) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and
(10) local governments.
(c) A representative of the division appointed to the work
group shall serve as presiding officer of the work group.
(d) The work group shall conduct a study to:
(1) identify:
(A) wet debris removal categories for bodies of
water in the state and the applicable laws for each category;
(B) current jurisdictions of local, state,
federal, and private entities responsible for wet debris removal,
including any concurrent, joint, or overlapping roles and
responsibilities of those entities;
(C) funding sources applicable to each wet debris
removal category; and
(D) issues that impede wet debris removal; and
(2) provide recommendations for:
(A) minimizing impediments to wet debris
removal;
(B) clarifying local, state, federal, and
private entities' roles and responsibilities for wet debris
removal; and
(C) educating interested persons on the results
of the study described by this subsection.
(e) Not later than November 1, 2020, the work group shall
submit a report containing the results of the study described by
Subsection (d) to each member of the legislature.
(f) The work group is abolished and this section expires
January 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2019, the governor
shall appoint members to the wet debris work group as required by
Section 418.054, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. 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, 2019.