BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1928

80R2976 CBH-D                                                                                                           By: Gallegos

                                                                                                 Transportation & Homeland Security

                                                                                                                                            4/21/2007

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The ability for the government and constituents in key geographic areas to communicate may contribute to saving many of those constituents' lives during emergency situations.  The creation of a community telephone emergency notification system that allows for the sending of phone-recorded messages en masse may provide an effective method to provide critical, timely communication during such situations.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1928 establishes a community telephone emergency notification system and authorizes the government to use this system to call citizens in a certain area.  This bill provides that this system would be administered by the same commission that runs the current 9-1-1 emergency system. 

 

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.  Amends Section 771.051(a), Health and Safety Code, to include operation of a community telephone emergency notification system that can be used to quickly disseminate critical information to large numbers or targeted groups of individuals and businesses (notification system), as a provision required of the Commission on State Emergency Communications (commission) in developing a regional plan under Section 771.055 (Strategic Planning), Health and Safety Code. 

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section 772.003, as follows:

 

Sec. 772.003.  COMMUNITY TELEPHONE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.  Requires an emergency communication district to provide a notification system as part of the 9-1-1 system for each participating jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 3. (a)  Requires the commission to adopt the performance standards relating to a notification system as required  by Section 771.051(a), Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, not later than October 1, 2007.

 

(b)  Requires each regional planning commission, as defined by Section 771.001 (Definitions), Health and Safety Code, to submit an amendment to that commission's regional plan not later than January 1, 2008, describing the procedures the regional planning commission will use to fully implement a notification system not later than July 1, 2008.

 

(c)  Requires an emergency communication district to fully implement a notification system as required by Section 772.003, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, not later than July 1, 2008. 

 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: September 1, 2007.