Bill Text: TX HB2858 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Relating to state and local government disaster preparedness.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-05-08 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB2858 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB2858-Comm_Sub.html
  88R4259 MCK-F
 
  By: Morales Shaw, et al. H.B. No. 2858
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to state and local government disaster preparedness.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 418.054(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The division shall develop a model guide for local
  officials regarding disaster response and recovery. The guide must
  provide a comprehensive approach to disaster recovery by local
  officials and include information on:
               (1)  contracting for debris removal;
               (2)  obtaining federal disaster funding;
               (3)  coordinating the availability and construction of
  short-term and long-term housing; [and]
               (4)  obtaining assistance from local, state, and
  federal volunteer organizations; and
               (5)  planning practices for developing and reviewing
  local and interjurisdictional emergency management plans under
  Section 418.106 to ensure:
                     (A)  the needs of the community's vulnerable
  populations, including persons with disabilities, persons who are
  homeless, and low-income households, are accurately identified;
                     (B)  the emergency management plans address the
  needs identified under Paragraph (A); and
                     (C)  the community resources that vulnerable
  populations rely on remain available during a disaster.
         SECTION 2.  Section 418.106(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  The plan must provide for:
               (1)  wage, price, and rent controls and other economic
  stabilization methods in the event of a disaster; [and]
               (2)  curfews, blockades, and limitations on utility use
  in an area affected by a disaster, rules governing entrance to and
  exit from the affected area, and other security measures;
               (3)  integrated and inclusive operations specific to
  individuals with disabilities to afford those individuals an
  equitable opportunity to benefit from all disaster response and
  recovery measures, programs, services, and activities;
               (4)  the increase in the capabilities of local
  emergency shelters in the provision of shelter and care for
  individuals with disabilities during a disaster;
               (5)  wellness checks for individuals with disabilities
  in the manner provided by Subchapter J, Chapter 418, Government
  Code, as added by Chapter 863 (S.B. 968), Acts of the 87th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2021;
               (6)  the establishment of minimum health-related
  standards for short-term and long-term shelter operations for
  shelters operated with state funds or receiving state assistance;
               (7)  an emergency notification system that notifies
  individuals with disabilities of a disaster or emergency and of any
  actions the individuals should take to prepare for or respond to the
  disaster or emergency;
               (8)  personnel surge capacity during a disaster,
  including plans for providing lodging and meals for disaster relief
  workers and volunteers; and
               (9)  horizontal integration of emergency preparedness
  and response plans required for licensed facilities and providers
  serving individuals with disabilities.
         SECTION 3.  Section 418.186(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The Department of State Health Services shall establish
  a program designed to educate the citizens of this state on disaster
  and emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. Before
  establishing the program, the department must collaborate with
  local authorities to prevent state efforts that are duplicative of
  local efforts. The program must address:
               (1)  types of disasters or other emergencies;
               (2)  the appropriate response to each type of disaster
  or emergency, including options for evacuation and shelter;
               (3)  how to prepare for each type of disaster or
  emergency;
               (4)  the impact of each type of disaster or emergency on
  citizens requiring medical assistance or other care;
               (5)  ways to respond in a disaster or emergency or to
  assist the victims of a disaster or emergency; [and]
               (6)  resources and supplies for disaster or emergency
  recovery; and
               (7)  the resources, services, and programs that are
  available to address the needs of persons with disabilities during
  a disaster or other emergency.
         SECTION 4.  Section 418.1882, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  With the direction, oversight, and approval of the
  division and the assistance of the Department of State Health
  Services, health care facilities, county officials, trauma service
  area regional advisory councils, and other appropriate entities,
  each council of government, regional planning commission, or
  similar regional planning agency created under Chapter 391, Local
  Government Code, shall, as part of a crisis standards of care plan,
  develop a regional plan for personnel surge capacity during
  disasters, including plans for providing lodging and meals for
  disaster relief workers and volunteers.
         (a-1)  The Department of State Health Services Preparedness
  Coordinating Council shall create a framework and provide guidance
  for the development of crisis standards of care plans. In
  developing the crisis standards of care framework, the council
  shall consult with the Department of State Health Services, health
  care facilities, county officials, trauma service area regional
  advisory councils, and each council of government, regional
  planning commission, or similar regional planning agency created
  under Chapter 391, Local Government Code.
         SECTION 5.  Section 418.192(c), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  The emergency notification system for which a contract
  is entered into under Subsection (b) must rely on a dynamic
  information database that:
               (1)  is capable of simultaneous transmission of
  emergency messages to all recipients through at least two
  industry-standard gateways to one or more telephones or electronic
  devices owned by a recipient in a manner that does not negatively
  impact the existing communications infrastructure;
               (2)  allows the public service provider to:
                     (A)  store prewritten emergency messages in the
  dynamic information database for subsequent use; [and]
                     (B)  generate emergency messages in real time
  based on provider inputs; and
                     (C)  send emergency messages in both audio and
  visual formats;
               (3)  allows a recipient to select the language in which
  the recipient would prefer to receive messages;
               (4)  transmits the message in the recipient's language
  of choice to that recipient;
               (5)  converts text messages to sound files and
  transmits those sound files to the appropriate device;
               (6)  assigns recipients to priority groups for
  notification;
               (7)  allows for the collection and verification of
  responses by recipients of emergency messages; and
               (8)  reads or receives alerts from a commercial mobile
  alert system established by the Federal Communications Commission
  or complies with standards adopted for a commercial mobile alert
  system established by the Federal Communications Commission.
         SECTION 6.  Section 421.002(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  The governor's homeland security strategy shall
  coordinate homeland security activities among and between local,
  state, and federal agencies and the private sector and must include
  specific plans for:
               (1)  intelligence gathering and analysis;
               (2)  information sharing;
               (3)  reducing the state's vulnerability to homeland
  security emergencies;
               (4)  protecting critical infrastructure;
               (5)  protecting the state's international border,
  ports, and airports;
               (6)  detecting, deterring, and defending against
  terrorism, including cyber-terrorism and biological, chemical, and
  nuclear terrorism;
               (7)  positioning equipment, technology, and personnel
  to improve the state's ability to respond to a homeland security
  emergency;
               (8)  directing the Texas Fusion Center and giving the
  center certain forms of authority to implement the governor's
  homeland security strategy; [and]
               (9)  using technological resources to:
                     (A)  facilitate the interoperability of
  government technological resources, including data, networks, and
  applications;
                     (B)  coordinate the warning and alert systems of
  state and local agencies;
                     (C)  incorporate multidisciplinary approaches to
  homeland security; and
                     (D)  improve the security of governmental and
  private sector information technology and information resources;
  and
               (10)  building community resilience and reducing
  long-term vulnerability for persons with disabilities by
  implementing inclusive disaster and emergency planning practices
  at all levels of government.
         SECTION 7.  Section 81.0813(d), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (d)  A declaration or order issued under this section must
  include:
               (1)  a description of the nature of the disaster or
  emergency;
               (2)  a designation of the area threatened by the
  disaster or emergency;
               (3)  a description of the condition that created the
  disaster or emergency; [and]
               (4)  the threshold event for implementing crisis
  standards of care; and
               (5)  if applicable:
                     (A)  the reason for renewing the disaster or
  emergency; or
                     (B)  the reason for terminating the disaster or
  emergency.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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