| 1 | 1 | | 89R15671 JON-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Reynolds H.B. No. 4843 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to a study conducted by the Texas Division of Emergency |
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| 10 | 10 | | Management regarding the process for obtaining disaster-related |
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| 11 | 11 | | financial assistance. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "division" means the |
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| 14 | 14 | | Texas Division of Emergency Management. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The division, with the assistance of |
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| 16 | 16 | | the Emergency Management Council, shall conduct a study on the |
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| 17 | 17 | | process for applying for, approving, and awarding financial |
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| 18 | 18 | | assistance during the disaster recovery process. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) In conducting the study, the division shall: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) compile data regarding the amount of time and |
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| 21 | 21 | | effort required for local governments, individuals, and businesses |
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| 22 | 22 | | to apply for and ultimately receive disaster-related financial |
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| 23 | 23 | | assistance; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) identify current laws and rules governing the |
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| 25 | 25 | | provision of disaster-related financial assistance; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) identify opportunities to streamline, simplify, |
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| 27 | 27 | | and expedite the process for local governments, individuals, and |
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| 28 | 28 | | businesses to apply for and receive disaster-related financial |
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| 29 | 29 | | assistance. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026, the |
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| 31 | 31 | | division shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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| 32 | 32 | | speaker of the house of representatives, and each member of the |
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| 33 | 33 | | legislature a written report that includes: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) a summary of the information compiled in the |
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| 35 | 35 | | study, including an analysis of the efficiency and effectiveness of |
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| 36 | 36 | | the disaster-related financial assistance system; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) recommendations from the division and the |
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| 38 | 38 | | Emergency Management Council, including: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (A) recommendations regarding the manner by |
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| 40 | 40 | | which disaster-related financial assistance can be provided more |
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| 41 | 41 | | efficiently, simply, and quickly; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (B) recommendations for legislative or other |
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| 43 | 43 | | action. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires September 1, |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2027. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 47 | 47 | | 1, 2025. |
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