Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2618 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
	1	+	89R22303 GP-D
1	2		By: Anchía, Raymond, Zwiener, Bumgarner, H.B. No. 2618
2	3		Darby
	4	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2618:
	5	+	By: Thompson C.S.H.B. No. 2618
3	6
4	7
5	8
6	9
7	10		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	11		AN ACT
9	12		relating to the development of a severe weather adaptation plan by
10	13		certain entities.
11	14		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	15		SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
13	16		Chapter 795 to read as follows:
14	17		CHAPTER 795. SEVERE WEATHER ADAPTATION PLAN
15	18		Sec. 795.001. PARTICIPATING ENTITIES. Not later than
16	19		September 1 of each even-numbered year, each of the following
17	20		entities shall publish a severe weather adaptation plan to assess
18	21		the entity's role with respect to severe weather events:
19	22		(1) the Department of Agriculture;
20	23		(2) the Department of Public Safety of the State of
21	24		Texas;
22	25		(3) the General Land Office;
23	26		(4) the Health and Human Services Commission;
24	27		(5) the office of the comptroller;
25	28		(6) the Parks and Wildlife Department;
26	29		(7) the Public Utility Commission of Texas;
27	30		(8) the Texas A&M Forest Service;
28	31		(9) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
29	32		(10) the Texas Department of Housing and Community
30	33		Affairs;
31	34		(11) the Texas Department of Insurance;
32	35		(12) the Texas Department of Transportation; and
33	36		(13) the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
34	37		Sec. 795.002. PLAN. For purposes of this chapter, a severe
35	38		weather adaptation plan is a strategy to identify, minimize, and
36		-	adequately prepare for the effects of severe weather and to manage
37		-	the risks associated with severe weather. A plan under this section
38		-	must be based on current research-based science that identifies the
39		-	likely effects on this state from severe weather events.
	39	+	adequately prepare for the effects of changes in the incidence and
	40	+	prevalence of severe weather on the social, economic, and
	41	+	ecological systems of this state and to manage the risks associated
	42	+	with severe weather. A plan under this section must be based on
	43	+	current research-based science that identifies the likely effects
	44	+	on this state from severe weather events.
40	45		Sec. 795.003. CONTENTS OF PLAN. (a) An entity's severe
41	46		weather adaptation plan must include:
42	47		(1) a severe weather vulnerability assessment;
43	48		(2) a review of existing programs in the context of
44	49		severe weather events;
45	50		(3) an analysis of the effects the entity's efforts to
46		-	adapt to severe weather events would have on the entity's budget
47		-	during the next 2, 5, and 10 years;
	51	+	adapt to changes in the incidence and prevalence of severe weather
	52	+	events would have on the entity's budget during the next 2, 5, and
	53	+	10 years;
48	54		(4) potential sources of funding to support the
49		-	entity's efforts to adapt to severe weather events; and
	55	+	entity's efforts to adapt to changes in the incidence and
	56	+	prevalence of severe weather events; and
50	57		(5) a statewide strategy to monitor the continuing
51	58		effects of severe weather events.
52	59		(b) In developing a severe weather adaptation plan, each
53		-	entity subject to this chapter may consult with the Office of the
54		-	Texas State Climatologist in the Department of Atmospheric
55		-	Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Texas A&M University.
	60	+	entity subject to this chapter may consult with:
	61	+	(1) the Houston Advanced Research Center; and
	62	+	(2) the Office of the Texas State Climatologist in the
	63	+	Department of Atmospheric Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences,
	64	+	Texas A&M University.
56	65		(c) An entity subject to this chapter that is required to
57	66		develop a continuity of operations plan under Section 412.054,
58	67		Labor Code, shall include in the plan the severe weather
59	68		vulnerability assessment described by Subsection (a)(1).
60	69		Sec. 795.004. POSTING OF PLAN. (a) Not later than
61	70		September 1 of each even-numbered year, each entity subject to this
62	71		chapter shall post the entity's severe weather adaptation plan on a
63	72		publicly accessible Internet website and electronically submit a
64	73		copy of the plan to:
65	74		(1) the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of
66	75		the house of representatives;
67	76		(2) the presiding officer of each standing committee
68	77		or subcommittee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over
69	78		environmental matters; and
70	79		(3) the executive director of the Texas Commission on
71	80		Environmental Quality.
72	81		(b) An entity shall redact from the severe weather
73	82		adaptation plan information the release of which might compromise
74	83		the security of the entity's operations before posting the plan on a
75	84		publicly accessible Internet website.
76	85		Sec. 795.005. AUDIT OF PLAN. A severe weather adaptation
77	86		plan is subject to audit by the state auditor in accordance with
78	87		Chapter 321.
79	88		SECTION 2. Section 795.003(c), Government Code, as added by
80	89		this Act, applies only to a continuity of operations plan developed
81	90		or adopted under Section 412.054, Labor Code, on or after the
82	91		effective date of this Act.
83	92		SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
84	93		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
85	94		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
86	95		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
87	96		Act takes effect September 1, 2025.