(The Center Square) – Despite reaching no quorum on Tuesday, Texas House members worked on disaster recovery bills in response to the July 4 Hill Country flood.
The House Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness heard five bills on Tuesday, House Bills 1, 2, 18, 19, and 20.
The bills focus “on emergency response, flood mitigation, and helping our communities recover faster and smarter after a disaster. As someone who represents counties that have battled wildfires, drought, and damaging storms, I take this work seriously. We owe it to our first responders and communities to plan ahead, invest wisely, and keep government focused on doing its job – protecting Texans,” state Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, said.
HB 1 and HB 2, filed by King, implement reform measures in the wake of failed emergency responses by Kerr County officials. At a committee hearing held last week in Kerrville, lawmakers learned that the top personnel responsible for emergency management were out of town, asleep or “sick,” and no preparedness measures were put in place ahead of the storm despite warnings from the National Weather Service, The Center Square reported.
HB 1 relates to disaster response and preparedness, including requiring training for justices of the peace and responding to mass fatality events; requiring a license and authorizing a fee.
HB 2 would create a Texas Interoperability Council and a grant program administered by the council. The council will “coordinate the implementation of a statewide strategic plan for governing the interoperability of emergency communication equipment and infrastructure,” develop and implement emergency alert systems, and incorporate communication technologies into the emergency communications network statewide, according to the bill language.
The grant program will assist local governments with “acquiring emergency communication equipment that is interoperable with other emergency communication equipment and infrastructure in this state” and to construct “additional emergency communication infrastructure to ensure that the first responders” have access in order to “effectively communicate during an emergency.”
The bill was filed after multiple personnel told lawmakers their communication equipment was incompatible during response efforts.
HB 18, filed by Rep. Dr. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, authorizes the state comptroller to provide funding for the deployment and operation of certain emergency communication systems, including “supporting the deployment of next generation 9-1-1 service.” It also authorizes the comptroller to provide matching funds for federal money provided for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program and “expands access to broadband service in economically distressed communities to support increased connectivity needs in those areas.”
It remains unclear why after Texas received billions of dollars for broadband, much of Kerr County still has limited to no cell phone reception, The Center Square reported.
In 2021, during the third special legislative session, the legislature allocated nearly $16 billion worth of federal funds it received from the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress. Among it, $500.5 million was allocated to develop broadband infrastructure, The Center Square reported.
In 2023, the Texas Comptroller’s Broadband Development Office announced that Texas was allocated $3.3 billion in federal funding for broadband expansion – more than any other state, The Center Square reported. The Texas legislature established the BDO in 2021 “to award grants, low-interest loans and other financial incentives to applicants seeking to expand access to and adoption of broadband service in designated areas.”
HB 19, filed by Rep. Drew Darby, R-Abilene, would require campgrounds in Texas to have flood disaster plans and comply with reporting requirements. Those that don’t will be fined $1,000 for each infraction. The bill was filed after officials said most of the camps in Kerr County did not have flood disaster plans or emergency evacuation plans in place despite being located in “Flash Flood Alley,” The Center Square reported.
Campground refers to “public or private property designed to provide cabins for transient guest use or areas for locating a tent, tent trailer, pickup camper, recreational vehicle, trailer, or other equipment designed for camping for transient guest use,” according to the bill language.
Darby also filed HB 20 to create certain measures to prevent and reduce fraudulent charitable solicitations during disasters, including establishing a voluntary certification program for disaster relief organizations.
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The bills have multiple cosponsors and were left pending in committee. Votes could not be held because a quorum has not been reached while more than 50 Democrats remain out of state in protest of a Congressional redistricting measure.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, signed civil arrest warrants for absconding House Democrats and called the House to reconvene on Friday.