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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study by the Texas A&M Forest Service of the potential |
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effects of wildfires in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Fuel loading" means the amount of combustible |
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material in a defined space expressed quantitatively in terms of |
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weight of fuel per unit area. |
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(2) "Service" means the Texas A&M Forest Service. |
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SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The service shall conduct a study to |
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determine the status and condition of fuel loading in wildfire risk |
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zones in this state and the corresponding risk of wildfire to the |
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residents, homes, businesses, and ecology of this state. |
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(b) In conducting the study, the service shall: |
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(1) establish wildfire risk zones based on fuel |
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loading and the risk of wildfire to the residents, homes, |
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businesses, and ecology of this state within geographic areas |
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defined by the service; and |
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(2) solicit and consider information from: |
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(A) the Department of Public Safety; |
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(B) the Department of Agriculture, including the |
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Prescribed Burning Board; |
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(C) the Texas Division of Emergency Management; |
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(D) the Parks and Wildlife Department; |
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(E) the Texas Commission on Environmental |
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Quality; |
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(F) the State Soil and Water Conservation Board; |
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(G) the comptroller of public accounts; and |
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(H) other natural resource representatives as |
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necessary. |
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(c) The study must: |
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(1) for each wildfire risk zone established under |
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Subsection (b)(1) of this section, consider: |
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(A) the risk that fuel loading poses; |
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(B) the projected loss of life, property, and |
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natural resources should a wildfire occur in the zone; |
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(C) the financial impact of costs associated |
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with: |
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(i) reconstruction in the zone after a |
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wildfire; |
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(ii) potential loss of production in the |
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natural resource and agricultural industries in the zone after a |
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wildfire; and |
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(iii) fuel loading mitigation and asset |
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hardening in the zone; and |
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(D) whether the money invested in fuel loading |
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mitigation in the zone exceeds or is less than the value of property |
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protected by the investment and the amount of the excess or |
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shortage; |
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(2) assess the overall economic benefits to this state |
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of: |
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(A) prescribed burning; |
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(B) fuel loading control for wildfire |
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prevention; and |
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(C) public investment in fuel loading reduction |
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projects; and |
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(3) recommend changes to existing law to ensure that |
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public and private natural resource managers have the authority and |
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ability to appropriately mitigate fuel loading risks in each |
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established risk zone. |
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SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2024, the |
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service shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing |
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committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over the |
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service or another state agency from which information is solicited |
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under this Act a written report that includes a summary of the study |
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and any legislative recommendations based on the study. |
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SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires May 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |