By: AnchÃa, Raymond, Zwiener, Bumgarner, H.B. No. 2618
Darby
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the development of a severe weather adaptation plan by
certain entities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
Chapter 795 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 795. SEVERE WEATHER ADAPTATION PLAN
Sec. 795.001. PARTICIPATING ENTITIES. Not later than
September 1 of each even-numbered year, each of the following
entities shall publish a severe weather adaptation plan to assess
the entity's role with respect to severe weather events:
(1) the Department of Agriculture;
(2) the Department of Public Safety of the State of
Texas;
(3) the General Land Office;
(4) the Health and Human Services Commission;
(5) the office of the comptroller;
(6) the Parks and Wildlife Department;
(7) the Public Utility Commission of Texas;
(8) the Texas A&M Forest Service;
(9) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
(10) the Texas Department of Housing and Community
Affairs;
(11) the Texas Department of Insurance;
(12) the Texas Department of Transportation; and
(13) the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
Sec. 795.002. PLAN. For purposes of this chapter, a severe
weather adaptation plan is a strategy to identify, minimize, and
adequately prepare for the effects of severe weather and to manage
the risks associated with severe weather. A plan under this section
must be based on current research-based science that identifies the
likely effects on this state from severe weather events.
Sec. 795.003. CONTENTS OF PLAN. (a) An entity's severe
weather adaptation plan must include:
(1) a severe weather vulnerability assessment;
(2) a review of existing programs in the context of
severe weather events;
(3) an analysis of the effects the entity's efforts to
adapt to severe weather events would have on the entity's budget
during the next 2, 5, and 10 years;
(4) potential sources of funding to support the
entity's efforts to adapt to severe weather events; and
(5) a statewide strategy to monitor the continuing
effects of severe weather events.
(b) In developing a severe weather adaptation plan, each
entity subject to this chapter may consult with the Office of the
Texas State Climatologist in the Department of Atmospheric
Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Texas A&M University.
(c) An entity subject to this chapter that is required to
develop a continuity of operations plan under Section 412.054,
Labor Code, shall include in the plan the severe weather
vulnerability assessment described by Subsection (a)(1).
Sec. 795.004. POSTING OF PLAN. (a) Not later than
September 1 of each even-numbered year, each entity subject to this
chapter shall post the entity's severe weather adaptation plan on a
publicly accessible Internet website and electronically submit a
copy of the plan to:
(1) the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of
the house of representatives;
(2) the presiding officer of each standing committee
or subcommittee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over
environmental matters; and
(3) the executive director of the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
(b) An entity shall redact from the severe weather
adaptation plan information the release of which might compromise
the security of the entity's operations before posting the plan on a
publicly accessible Internet website.
Sec. 795.005. AUDIT OF PLAN. A severe weather adaptation
plan is subject to audit by the state auditor in accordance with
Chapter 321.
SECTION 2. Section 795.003(c), Government Code, as added by
this Act, applies only to a continuity of operations plan developed
or adopted under Section 412.054, Labor Code, on or after the
effective date of 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, 2025.