87R5127 RDS-D
By: Thierry H.B. No. 1983
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to statewide preparedness and long-term recovery
strategies for certain issues arising from a pandemic or other
disaster.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 418.004(1), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(1) "Disaster" means the occurrence or imminent threat
of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property
resulting from any natural or man-made cause, including fire,
flood, earthquake, wind, storm, wave action, oil spill or other
water contamination, volcanic activity, pandemic, epidemic, air
contamination, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, riot,
hostile military or paramilitary action, extreme heat,
cybersecurity event, other public calamity requiring emergency
action, or energy emergency.
SECTION 2. Section 418.054(g), Government Code, as added by
Chapter 602 (S.B. 799), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2019, is amended to read as follows:
(g) The advisory council shall:
(1) advise the division on policies, rules, and
program operations to assist businesses in recovering from a
disaster;
(2) advise the division on the state resources and
services needed to assist businesses in recovering from a
catastrophic loss of electric power; [and]
(3) propose solutions to address inefficiencies or
problems in the state or local governmental disaster response with
respect to impact on businesses and the economy; and
(4) propose solutions to mitigate medical supply chain
problems and nursing and physician staff shortages that may occur
during a disaster.
SECTION 3. Section 418.054, Government Code, as added by
Chapters 576 (S.B. 289) and 1018 (H.B. 6), Acts of the 86th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is amended by adding Subsection
(e) to read as follows:
(e) The disaster recovery task force shall address
long-term solutions to issues arising from a disaster that are
specific to a pandemic or epidemic, including unemployment issues
and rental policies and other housing issues.
SECTION 4. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021,
relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
codes.
SECTION 5. 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, 2021.