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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishment of the Texas Emergency Alert Management |
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System (TEAMS). |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter J to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER J. TEXAS EMERGENCY ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS) |
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Sec. 418.270. DEFINITION. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "alert management system" means the Texas |
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Emergency Alert Management System (TEAMS) established under this |
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subchapter. |
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(2) "Chief" means the chief of the Texas Division of |
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Emergency Management appointed under Section 418.041. |
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Sec. 418.271. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEXAS |
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ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS). (a) Notwithstanding any other |
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law, the division has authority to manage all state emergency alert |
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systems. |
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(b) With the cooperation of the Department of Public Safety |
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of the State of Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation, the |
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Commission on State Emergency Communications, the Texas Commission |
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on Environmental Quality, the Health and Human Services Commission, |
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the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Public Utility |
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Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of Texas, the State |
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Office of Risk Management, the office of the governor, and other |
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appropriate agencies in this state, the division shall identify |
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potential threats of regional or statewide significance and develop |
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and implement a plan to alert the public by use of the Federal |
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Wireless Emergency Alert System in the event that the chief, |
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director of the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, |
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and a state elected official identify a need to alert Texans to an |
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imminent threat to public health or safety. |
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Sec. 418.272. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The chief is the |
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statewide coordinator of the alert management system. |
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(b) The division shall adopt rules and the chief shall issue |
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directives as necessary to ensure proper implementation of the |
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alert management system. |
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(c) The chief shall prescribe forms to use in requesting |
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activation of an alert regarding an emergency of statewide or |
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regional significance. |
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Sec. 418.273. DIVISION TO RECRUIT PARTICIPANTS. (a) The |
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division shall recruit public and commercial television and radio |
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broadcasters, mobile telephone service providers, private |
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commercial entities, state or local governmental entities, the |
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public, and other appropriate persons to assist in developing and |
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implementing the alert management system. |
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(b) The division may enter into agreements with |
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participants in the alert management system to provide necessary |
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support for the alert management system. |
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Sec. 418.274. ACTIVATION. (a) On the request of a state |
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elected official and a state agency official or law enforcement |
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agency, the chief shall immediately investigate the need to |
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activate a statewide or regional alert that is not otherwise |
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authorized by Chapter 411 or 418, Government Code and notify |
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appropriate participants in the alert system as established by rule |
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if the chief, director of the Department of Public Safety of the |
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State of Texas, and a state elected official determine there is an |
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imminent threat to public health or safety. |
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Sec. 418.275. STATE AGENCIES. (a) A state agency |
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participating in the alert system shall cooperate with the division |
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and assist in identifying potential threats and developing and |
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implementing the alert management system. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the public safety director of the Department of Public |
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Safety of the State of Texas shall adopt rules and issue directives |
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necessary to implement Subchapter L-1, Chapter 411, Government |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |