Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB655 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R3722 SRA-D
2	2	By: Raymond H.B. No. 655
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a study on a statewide disaster alert system and
8	8	implementation of that system.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER J. STATEWIDE DISASTER ALERT SYSTEM
13	13	Sec. 418.301. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "alert
14	14	system" means the standardized statewide disaster alert system
15	15	described by this subchapter.
16	16	Sec. 418.3015. STUDY ON STATEWIDE DISASTER ALERT SYSTEM.
17	17	(a) The division shall conduct a study on the efficacy of existing
18	18	mass notification deployments by local governmental entities
19	19	throughout this state and the feasibility of establishing a
20	20	statewide disaster alert system. The study must:
21	21	(1) identify the costs to local governmental entities
22	22	associated with existing local disaster alert or notification
23	23	systems;
24	24	(2) examine the potential benefits to local
25	25	governmental entities of implementing an alert system in
26	26	coordination with this state, including:
27	27	(A) improving this state's ability to coordinate
28	28	state and local responses to disasters; and
29	29	(B) eliminating barriers to successful mass
30	30	notification and communication encountered by local governmental
31	31	entities during disasters;
32	32	(3) examine the importance of a local governmental
33	33	entity's discretion regarding the entity's level and manner of
34	34	participation in the alert system;
35	35	(4) examine potential costs to local governmental
36	36	entities or this state associated with implementing the alert
37	37	system; and
38	38	(5) identify any state or local governmental entity
39	39	actions necessary to implement a comprehensive alert system.
40	40	(b) Not later than March 1, 2022, the division shall prepare
41	41	and submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the
42	42	legislature a report on the findings of the study.
43	43	(c) This section expires September 1, 2027.
44	44	Sec. 418.302. ESTABLISHMENT OF ALERT SYSTEM. (a) The
45	45	division, with the cooperation of the office of the governor, may
46	46	develop and implement a statewide disaster alert system to activate
47	47	in the event of a disaster affecting any location in this state.
48	48	(a-1) If, based on the findings of the study conducted under
49	49	Section 418.3015, the division and office of the governor conclude
50	50	that the benefits to this state and local governmental entities of
51	51	implementing a coordinated alert system outweigh any additional
52	52	costs, the division, with the cooperation of the office and other
53	53	appropriate state agencies and using money available for the
54	54	purpose, shall develop and implement the alert system. This
55	55	subsection expires September 1, 2027.
56	56	(b) A local governmental entity that chooses to participate
57	57	in an alert system implemented under this subchapter may use
58	58	available local funds for that purpose and may contract with the
59	59	department for services associated with the alert system.
60	60	(c) An alert system implemented under this subchapter may
61	61	be:
62	62	(1) operated in conjunction with any other emergency
63	63	alert system required by federal or state law; and
64	64	(2) designed to notify persons statewide of a disaster
65	65	affecting any location in this state.
66	66	Sec. 418.303. ACTIVATION OF ALERT SYSTEM. (a) When the
67	67	division determines a disaster has occurred or the occurrence or
68	68	threat of disaster is imminent or is notified of a declaration of
69	69	disaster under this chapter, the division may immediately activate
70	70	any alert system implemented under this subchapter. A
71	71	participating local governmental entity may, in coordination with
72	72	the division, choose the manner in which the alert system is
73	73	activated and notifications are issued within the entity's
74	74	geographic region.
75	75	(b) The division, or local governmental entity, as
76	76	appropriate, may issue updated notifications for the duration of
77	77	the disaster.
78	78	Sec. 418.304. CONTENT OF ALERT SYSTEM NOTIFICATION. A
79	79	notification issued under an alert system implemented under this
80	80	subchapter may include information necessary to:
81	81	(1) assist a person affected by the disaster with
82	82	making informed decisions regarding the person's safety; and
83	83	(2) enable a person in another location in this state
84	84	to assist an affected person.
85	85	Sec. 418.305. TERMINATION OF ALERT SYSTEM. The division
86	86	may terminate the activation of an alert system when:
87	87	(1) the division determines that:
88	88	(A) the threat or danger has passed; or
89	89	(B) the disaster has been addressed to the extent
90	90	that emergency conditions no longer exist; or
91	91	(2) the state of disaster is terminated as provided by
92	92	this chapter.
93	93	Sec. 418.306. RULES. The division may adopt rules
94	94	necessary to implement this subchapter.
95	95	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
96	96	of this Act:
97	97	(1) the Texas Division of Emergency Management shall
98	98	conduct the study required by Section 418.3015, Government Code, as
99	99	added by this Act; and
100	100	(2) based on the results of the study, if applicable,
101	101	the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management shall
102	102	implement an alert system under Subchapter J, Chapter 418,
103	103	Government Code, as added by this Act.
104	104	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
105	105	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
106	106	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
107	107	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
108	108	Act takes effect September 1, 2021.