HBA-TBM H.B. 1396 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1396 By: Geren Public Safety 3/22/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Each year in the State of Texas hundreds of citizens are killed or injured due to extreme weather conditions and natural disasters. The cost of such disasters is enormous both financially and in human lives. On March 28, 2000, a tornado struck populous areas in and around downtown Fort Worth as well as Arlington, Grand Prairie, and River Oaks, causing millions of dollars in damage and approximately 100 casualties. It is possible that the effects of the tornado would not have been as severe, at least to human lives, if Tarrant County had a more effective emergency warning system. House Bill 1396 authorizes an emergency communication district to provide or upgrade an emergency siren warning service. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1396 amends the Health and Safety Code to provide that the Texas Legislature finds that coordinated publicly operated emergency warning systems in expanding metropolitan areas are essential to minimize loss of life by warning persons in the emergency communication district (district) of weatherrelated dangers and other potential disasters (Sec. 772.202). The bill authorizes a district to provide emergency siren warning service to each participating jurisdiction through operation of an emergency siren warning system (system) and sets forth provisions for the creation and operation of such a system (Sec. 722.2101). When preparing a budget for a system, the board of managers of a district (board) may not exceed the amount of revenues derived from the additional one percent that this bill allows the board to impose on a 9-1-1 emergency service fee (Section 722.214). EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.