Bill Text: TX HB2345 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of the Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 26-11)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective immediately [HB2345 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB2345-Comm_Sub.html
  86R22426 SLB-F
 
  By: Walle, Paul, et al. H.B. No. 2345
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2345:
 
  By:  Israel C.S.H.B. No. 2345
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to resources to facilitate disaster mitigation, response,
  and recovery.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 16, Water Code, is amended
  by adding Section 16.061 to read as follows:
         Sec. 16.061.  FLOOD MITIGATION AND RESILIENCY. The board
  shall:
               (1)  create an inventory of flood mitigation and
  resiliency projects;
               (2)  develop a method of prioritizing projects
  described by Subdivision (1); and
               (3)  coordinate with the Institute for a Disaster
  Resilient Texas, created under Section 86.82, Education Code.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter E, Chapter 86, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 86.82 to read as follows:
         Sec. 86.82.  INSTITUTE FOR A DISASTER RESILIENT TEXAS. (a)
  In this section, "institute" means the Institute for a Disaster
  Resilient Texas.
         (b)  The Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas is a
  component of Texas A&M University.
         (c)  The institute is under the management and direction of
  the board.
         (d)  The institute shall:
               (1)  develop data analytics tools to support disaster
  planning, mitigation, response, and recovery by the state, its
  political subdivisions, and the public;
               (2)  create and maintain web-based analytical and
  visual tools to communicate disaster risks and ways to reduce those
  risks, including tools that work on the level of individual parcels
  of land;
               (3)  provide evidence-based information and solutions
  to aid in the formation of state and local partnerships to support
  disaster planning, mitigation, response, and recovery;
               (4)  collect, display, and communicate comprehensive
  flood-related information, including applicable updated inundation
  maps, for use by decision-makers and the public;
               (5)  discuss, study, and test ideas for flood planning
  and mitigation; and
               (6)  collaborate with other components of The Texas A&M
  University System, institutions of higher education, as that term
  is defined by Section 61.003, state agencies, local governments,
  and other political subdivisions to accomplish the purposes of this
  section.
         (e)  The institute may employ personnel, including experts
  in planning, engineering, hydrology, ecology, and economics.
         (f)  The institute may accept a gift or grant from any public
  or private source for the benefit of the institute.
         SECTION 3.  (a)  In this Act, "committee" means the Flood
  Event Partnership Options Special Study Committee.
         (b)  The Flood Event Partnership Options Special Study
  Committee is established and consists of nine persons appointed by
  the governor to represent the flooding-related interests of the
  following:
               (1)  state agencies;
               (2)  federal agencies;
               (3)  local governments, including counties and
  municipalities;
               (4)  conservation and reclamation districts and other
  special purpose districts with authority over water resources or
  waterways; and
               (5)  nonprofit entities.
         (c)  The governor shall appoint persons to serve on the
  committee not later than October 1, 2019.
         (d)  The committee shall conduct a study of the appropriate
  structure, means of administration, and membership of state-local
  partnerships to address flooding events in this state.
         (e)  The study must address:
               (1)  which state and local entities are interested in
  and capable of participating in effective partnerships to prevent,
  mitigate, or address flooding events in this state;
               (2)  the role that flood planning at the watershed
  level may play in a state-local partnership's efforts to prevent,
  mitigate, or address flooding events in this state;
               (3)  the possible negative effects efforts in a local
  area to prevent, mitigate, or address flooding events may have in
  neighboring areas;
               (4)  whether state-local partnerships to prevent,
  mitigate, or address flooding events in this state may function
  more effectively on a required basis or voluntary basis and how the
  organization and structure of the partnerships may differ according
  to whether it is a required or voluntary relationship;
               (5)  what incentives are available or may be made
  available to encourage effective state-local partnerships to
  prevent, mitigate, or address flooding events in this state;
               (6)  what manner of funding is available or may be made
  available to foster effective state-local partnerships to prevent,
  mitigate, or address flooding events in this state;
               (7)  appropriate roles for various partners in
  state-local partnerships to prevent, mitigate, or address flooding
  events in this state;
               (8)  the most effective types of projects a state-local
  partnership could propose to prevent, mitigate, or address flooding
  events; and
               (9)  which information is best applied by state-local
  partnerships to prevent, mitigate, or address flooding events and
  how that information may most effectively be gathered and shared.
         (f)  On the request of the committee, The Texas A&M
  University System shall provide the committee with assistance,
  necessary support staff, and facilities to conduct meetings.
         (g)  The committee shall deliver to the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
  and each member of the legislature a report on the determinations of
  the committee based on the study conducted under this section not
  later than December 1, 2020. The committee shall deliver to the
  governor, the lieutenant governor, or a member of the legislature
  related information on request.
         (h)  The committee is abolished, and this section expires May
  1, 2021.
         SECTION 4.  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, 2019.
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