| 1 | 1 | | 88R5557 SCP-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Goodwin H.B. No. 3326 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the development of an extreme weather adaptation plan |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | by certain entities. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subtitle G, Title 5, Health and Safety Code, is |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Chapter 428 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | CHAPTER 428. EXTREME WEATHER ADAPTATION PLAN |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 428.001. PARTICIPATING ENTITIES. Not later than |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | September 1 of each even-numbered year, each of the following |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | entities shall publish an extreme weather adaptation plan that will |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | assess the entity's role with respect to drought, flooding, and |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | other extreme weather conditions: |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (1) the Department of Agriculture; |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (2) the independent organization certified under |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | Section 39.151, Utilities Code; |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (3) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (4) the General Land Office; |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (5) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (6) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | Affairs; |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (7) the Texas Department of Insurance; |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (8) the Parks and Wildlife Department; |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (9) the Department of Public Safety of the State of |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Texas; |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (10) the Public Utility Commission of Texas; |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (11) the office of the comptroller; |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (12) the Texas Department of Transportation; |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (13) the Texas A&M Forest Service; and |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (14) the Texas Water Development Board. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | Sec. 428.002. PLAN. (a) For the purposes of this chapter, |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | an extreme weather adaptation plan is a strategy to identify, |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | minimize, and adequately prepare for the effects of drought, |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | flooding, and other extreme weather conditions on the social, |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | economic, and ecological systems of this state and to manage the |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | risks associated with extreme weather conditions. A plan under |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | this section must be based on current research-based environmental |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | science that identifies the likely impacts on this state from |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | increased drought, flooding, and other extreme weather conditions. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (b) Each extreme weather adaptation plan must include: |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (1) an extreme weather vulnerability assessment; |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | (2) a review of existing programs in the context of |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | anticipated increased occurrences of extreme weather conditions; |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | (3) specific steps necessary for the entity to fulfill |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | its mission during extreme weather conditions; |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | (4) an analysis of the effects implementing the steps |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | identified under Subdivision (3) would have on the entity's budget |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | during the next 2, 5, and 10 years; |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | (5) potential sources of funding to support the |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | entity's efforts to adapt to extreme weather conditions; and |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | (6) a statewide strategy to monitor the continuing |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | effects of extreme weather conditions. |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | (c) In developing an extreme weather adaptation plan, each |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | entity subject to this section shall: |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | (1) consider the most current assessment reports |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | created by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | (2) consult with the Houston Advanced Research Center; |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | and |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | (3) consult with the Office of the Texas State |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | Climatologist in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, College of |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | Geosciences, Texas A&M University. |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | (d) Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | each entity subject to this section shall post the entity's extreme |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | weather adaptation plan on a publicly accessible Internet website |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | and electronically submit a copy of the plan to: |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | (1) the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | the house of representatives; |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | (2) the presiding officer of each standing committee |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | or subcommittee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | environmental matters; and |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | (3) the executive director of the Texas Commission on |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | Environmental Quality. |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | (e) Each extreme weather adaptation plan is subject to audit |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | by the state auditor in accordance with Chapter 321, Government |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | Code. |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|