BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 5
	By: Huffman et al.
	Finance
	9/9/2025
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 5 establishes a framework for funding the response to, and recovery from, the catastrophic storms that struck the Central Texas region in July 2025. S.B. 5 seeks to makes supplemental appropriations for disaster relief.

Specifically, S.B. 5 includes $200 million to cover the projected 25 percent non-federal matching funds for FEMA reimbursement; $50 million for the purchase of sirens, rain gauges, and other equipment in the Central Texas flood region; $24 million to develop enhanced atmospheric measurement and modeling techniques; and $20 million toward a new swift water training facility.

S.B. 5 amends current law relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and preparedness and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those appropriations.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: FEMA MATCH AND DISASTER FUNDS. Provides that the amount of $200,000,000 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Trusteed Programs within the Office of the Governor (governor's office) for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used to match federal money received related to disaster response, relief, and recovery and for the disaster needs of this state in a manner consistent with Strategy A.1.1, Disaster Funds, as listed in Chapter 1170 (H.B. 1), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023 (the General Appropriations Act), and Chapter 1185 (S.B. 1), Acts of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025 (the General Appropriations Act).

SECTION 2. TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: LOCAL GRANTS. Provides that the amount of $50,000,000 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Trusteed Programs within the governor's office for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used for the purpose of making grants to assist counties, municipalities, or other local governments operating within certain counties, as provided by the governor's declaration of disaster on July 4, 2025, regarding a heavy rainfall and flooding event and the subsequent amendments to that declaration, in establishing and implementing a system of flood warning sirens and flood gauges and purchasing other related equipment.

SECTION 3. TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: METEOROLOGICAL FORECASTING. Provides that the amount of $28,000,000 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund to the Trusteed Programs within the governor's office for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to be used for the purpose of providing disaster preparedness grants for enhanced atmospheric measurement and modeling techniques to improve meteorological forecasting, enhance weather intelligence and forecasting accuracy, and improve flood management and timeliness of flood warnings.

SECTION 4. DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: CAMPGROUND AND YOUTH CAMP SAFETY CONTINGENT APPROPRIATIONS. (a) Provides that, contingent on the enactment of S.B. 1 or similar legislation of the 89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 2025, relating to campground and youth camp safety, the amount of $2,594,265 is appropriated from the economic stabilization fund for use during the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act, and the amount of $2,484,726 is appropriated from the general revenue fund for use during the state fiscal year beginning September 1, 2026, to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to implement the provisions of that legislation. Requires DSHS to adjust the amount of license fees established under Section 141.0035 (License Fees), Health and Safety Code, as necessary to recover the costs of the appropriations made under this subsection.

(b) Authorizes DSHS, during the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2025, in addition to the capital budget authority other law grants to DSHS during that period, to use $500,000 in capital budget authority for the appropriations made by Subsection (a) of this section, if any.

(c) Authorizes DSHS, during the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2025, in addition to the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees other law authorizes DSHS to employ during that period, to employ 16.0 FTE employees out of money appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section, if any.

SECTION 5. LIMITATION, REPORTING, AND TRANSFER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACTS APPLY. Provides that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the provisions relating to limitations, reporting, or transfer of Chapter 1170 (H.B. 1), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023 (the General Appropriations Act), and Chapter 1185 (S.B. 1), Acts of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025 (the General Appropriations Act), apply to the appropriations made by this Act.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. (a) Effective date, subject Subsection (b) of this section: upon passage.

(b) Provides that this Act effect only if it receives a vote of two-thirds of the members present in each house of the legislature, as provided by Section 49-g(m) (relating to authorizing the legislature, by a two-thirds vote of the members present in each house, to appropriate amounts from the economic stabilization fund at any time and for any purpose), Article III (Legislative Department), Texas Constitution.