By:  Nelson                                           S.B. No. 1695
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to emergency management.
    1-2        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-3        SECTION 1.  Subdivision (5), Section 418.004, Government
    1-4  Code, is amended to read as follows:
    1-5              (5)  "Organized volunteer group" means an organization
    1-6  such as the American National Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the
    1-7  Civil Air Patrol, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services, a
    1-8  volunteer fire department, a volunteer rescue squad, or other
    1-9  similar organization recognized by federal or state statute,
   1-10  regulation, or memorandum.
   1-11        SECTION 2.  Section 418.109, Government Code, is amended by
   1-12  adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
   1-13        (d)  A municipality, county, rural fire prevention district,
   1-14  emergency services district, fire protection agency, organized
   1-15  volunteer group, or other emergency services entity may provide
   1-16  mutual aid assistance on request from another municipality, county,
   1-17  rural fire prevention district, emergency services district, fire
   1-18  protection agency, organized volunteer group, or other emergency
   1-19  services entity.  The chief or highest ranking officer of the
   1-20  entity from which assistance is requested, with the approval and
   1-21  consent of the presiding officer of the governing body of that
   1-22  entity, may provide that assistance while acting in accordance with
   1-23  the policies, ordinances, and procedures established by the
   1-24  governing body of that entity and consistent with any mutual aid
    2-1  plans developed by the emergency management council.
    2-2        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-7  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-8  passage, and it is so enacted.