Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2512 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R17189 JCG-D
2	2	By: Schwertner S.B. No. 2512
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to creating the Texas Interoperability Council and a grant
10	10	program administered by the council.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Chapter 421, Government Code, is amended by
13	13	adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
14	14	SUBCHAPTER G. TEXAS INTEROPERABILITY COUNCIL; GRANT PROGRAM
15	15	Sec. 421.121. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
16	16	(1) "Council" means the Texas Interoperability
17	17	Council established under this subchapter.
18	18	(2) "Division" means Texas Division of Emergency
19	19	Management.
20	20	(3) "Local government" means a municipality, county,
21	21	special district or authority, or any other political subdivision
22	22	of this state.
23	23	Sec. 421.122. TEXAS INTEROPERABILITY COUNCIL. (a) The
24	24	Texas Interoperability Council is established to:
25	25	(1) develop and coordinate the implementation of a
26	26	statewide strategic plan for governing the interoperability of
27	27	emergency communication equipment and infrastructure in this
28	28	state; and
29	29	(2) administer a grant program to assist local
30	30	governments with acquiring emergency communication equipment that
31	31	is interoperable with other emergency communication equipment and
32	32	infrastructure in this state and with constructing additional
33	33	emergency communication infrastructure to ensure that the first
34	34	responders of this state have access to equipment and
35	35	infrastructure that is interoperable to the extent necessary to
36	36	effectively communicate during an emergency.
37	37	(b) The council is composed of the chief of the division and
38	38	six members appointed as follows:
39	39	(1) two members appointed by the governor;
40	40	(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
41	41	and
42	42	(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house
43	43	of representatives.
44	44	(c) Appointed council members serve staggered terms of six
45	45	years, with the terms of two members expiring September 1 of each
46	46	odd-numbered year.
47	47	(d) A majority of the voting members of the council
48	48	constitutes a quorum to transact business. If a quorum is present,
49	49	the council may act on any matter within the council's jurisdiction
50	50	by a majority vote.
51	51	(e) The chief of the division serves as the council's
52	52	presiding officer.
53	53	Sec. 421.123. MEETINGS. The council shall meet as often as
54	54	necessary at the call of the presiding officer to perform the
55	55	council's duties.
56	56	Sec. 421.124. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW TO COUNCIL. (a)
57	57	Chapters 551 and 2001 do not apply to the council.
58	58	(b) Information held by the council is excepted from
59	59	required public disclosure under Chapter 552.
60	60	Sec. 421.125. STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) The council, in
61	61	collaboration with any state agency or private entity as the
62	62	council determines appropriate, shall develop a statewide
63	63	strategic plan to govern the interoperability of emergency
64	64	communication equipment and infrastructure in this state.
65	65	(b) The strategic plan must include:
66	66	(1) a plan for the construction of communication
67	67	infrastructure necessary to ensure effective emergency
68	68	communications among first responders in this state, including the
69	69	acquisition of land as necessary for construction;
70	70	(2) training programs necessary to ensure that state
71	71	and local governments have the skills and resources necessary to
72	72	access and effectively use the emergency communication equipment
73	73	and infrastructure available in this state;
74	74	(3) a plan to ensure that first responders throughout
75	75	this state are equipped with emergency communication equipment that
76	76	is interoperable with other emergency communication equipment in
77	77	this state; and
78	78	(4) a plan to ensure that any new emergency
79	79	communication equipment and infrastructure acquired or constructed
80	80	under the plan can be adapted to or integrated with any existing
81	81	emergency communication equipment and infrastructure.
82	82	Sec. 421.126. IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN; NETWORK MANAGEMENT.
83	83	The council, in collaboration with state agencies as needed, shall
84	84	implement the statewide strategic plan developed under Section
85	85	421.125 and coordinate the emergency communications network of this
86	86	state to ensure interoperability for first responders.
87	87	Sec. 421.127. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The council shall
88	88	establish a grant program to provide grants to local governments
89	89	for the purchase of emergency communication equipment and
90	90	infrastructure, the construction of emergency communication
91	91	infrastructure, and the expenses of training employees of the local
92	92	government for the effective use of the equipment during an
93	93	emergency.
94	94	(b) To be eligible for a grant under the grant program, an
95	95	applicant must be a local government, submit a proposal to the
96	96	council, and comply with the rules established by the council for
97	97	the administration of the grant program.
98	98	(c) The council shall establish procedures to administer
99	99	the grant program, including:
100	100	(1) eligibility criteria for a grant recipient;
101	101	(2) guidelines relating to grant amounts; and
102	102	(3) procedures for submitting and evaluating
103	103	proposals.
104	104	(d) The council shall enter into a contract that includes
105	105	performance requirements with each grant recipient. The council
106	106	shall monitor and enforce the terms of the contract.
107	107	(e) The council may require as a condition of a grant
108	108	awarded under this section that:
109	109	(1) the officers or employees of the recipient
110	110	successfully complete one or more training programs, as determined
111	111	by the council, which may include incident command system training;
112	112	and
113	113	(2) the recipient adopt standardized procedures for
114	114	incident command or management.
115	115	(f) The council may delegate to a state agency the
116	116	administration of the grant program.
117	117	Sec. 421.128. USES OF GRANT MONEY. Money awarded under the
118	118	grant program may be used only to:
119	119	(1) purchase emergency communication equipment,
120	120	including radios, spare parts, and accessories, for use by first
121	121	responders that is interoperable with the other emergency
122	122	communication equipment and infrastructure in this state or enables
123	123	interoperability;
124	124	(2) construct emergency communication infrastructure,
125	125	including radio towers, that is interoperable with the other
126	126	emergency communication equipment and infrastructure in this state
127	127	or enables interoperability, including the acquisition of land
128	128	necessary for the construction;
129	129	(3) cover the cost of adapting existing emergency
130	130	communication equipment or infrastructure to, or otherwise
131	131	integrating the equipment or infrastructure with, new emergency
132	132	communication equipment purchased or infrastructure constructed;
133	133	(4) cover the operational or maintenance cost of the
134	134	equipment or infrastructure described by Subdivision (1), (2), or
135	135	(3); or
136	136	(5) attend or provide the training to first responders
137	137	on the effective use of the equipment and infrastructure described
138	138	by Subdivisions (1), (2), and (3).
139	139	Sec. 421.129. GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING. The council may use
140	140	any available funds to implement the grant program.
141	141	Sec. 421.130. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The council
142	142	may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source, including
143	143	private and nonprofit organizations, for the purpose of
144	144	implementing this subchapter.
145	145	Sec. 421.131. RULES. The division may adopt rules to
146	146	administer this subchapter.
147	147	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
148	148	of this Act, the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
149	149	house of representatives shall appoint members to the Texas
150	150	Interoperability Council, as required by Section 421.122,
151	151	Government Code, as added by this Act, in the manner required by
152	152	that section, as follows:
153	153	(1) the governor shall appoint two council members to
154	154	a term expiring September 1, 2027;
155	155	(2) the lieutenant governor shall appoint two council
156	156	members to a term expiring September 1, 2029; and
157	157	(3) the speaker of the house of representatives shall
158	158	appoint two council members to a term expiring September 1, 2031.
159	159	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.