1-1 By: Armbrister S.C.R. No. 68 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed April 21, 1999; April 22, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Administration; 1-4 April 30, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4, 1-5 Nays 0; April 30, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, Major portions of Texas have endured nature's wrath 1-8 in the weather extremes of the 1990s; and 1-9 WHEREAS, In October, 1998, historic floods occurred across 1-10 much of South Texas; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Governor Bush declared a state of disaster in 22 1-12 counties; and 1-13 WHEREAS, President Clinton concurred and by presidential 1-14 declaration authorized federal aid; and 1-15 WHEREAS, The general public, municipalities, and counties all 1-16 endured major losses; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Local officials have expended considerable time and 1-18 energy completing disaster documentation for submittal to the 1-19 Division of Emergency Management, Federal Emergency Management 1-20 Agency, and Natural Resource Conservation Service; and 1-21 WHEREAS, The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at 1-22 The University of Texas at Austin has been involved with the City 1-23 of Cuero concerning their housing issues caused by this disaster; 1-24 and 1-25 WHEREAS, Due to the magnitude of the disaster, the 1-26 legislature approved and added $16.3 million to the emergency 1-27 appropriations bill to assist local communities with state funds 1-28 necessary to match federal dollars; and 1-29 WHEREAS, Difficulties have occurred in coordinating the 1-30 disaster-related activities of local, state, and federal 1-31 representatives, and this lack of coordination has caused the 1-32 general public great hardship; now, therefore, be it 1-33 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-34 hereby create a blue ribbon study to examine ways to improve 1-35 coordination among the Texas Natural Resource Conservation 1-36 Commission, Texas Water Development Board, Small Business 1-37 Administration, volunteer organizations, Division of Emergency 1-38 Management, and General Land Office in mitigating damage by taking 1-39 action before, as well as providing disaster assistance after, 1-40 flooding and other natural disasters and to streamline the 1-41 provision of disaster assistance, including the use of 1-42 cost-effective technologies to facilitate service; and, be it 1-43 further 1-44 RESOLVED, That the committee consist of representatives from 1-45 the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Texas Water 1-46 Development Board, General Land Office, and Division of Emergency 1-47 Management as well as municipalities, counties, and river 1-48 authorities, with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation 1-49 Commission serving as chair; and, be it further 1-50 RESOLVED, That appropriate federal agencies act as a resource 1-51 to the committee as necessary and that the Lyndon B. Johnson School 1-52 of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, may also act 1-53 as a resource to the committee as necessary; and, be it further 1-54 RESOLVED, That the committee deliver the study to the 77th 1-55 Legislature with recommendations when it convenes in January, 2001. 1-56 * * * * *