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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring certain public officials to receive training |
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relating to emergency management. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 418.005 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.005. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAINING. (a) Each |
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elected or appointed public official of the state or a political |
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subdivision shall complete a course of training of not less than |
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five and not more than eight hours regarding the responsibilities |
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of the state or political subdivision under this chapter not later |
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than the 90th day after the date the member: |
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(1) takes the oath of office, if the person is required |
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to take an oath of office to assume the person's duties as an |
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elected or appointed public official of the state or a political |
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subdivision; or |
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(2) otherwise assumes responsibilities as an elected |
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or appointed public official of the state or a political |
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subdivision, if the person is not required to take an oath of office |
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to assume the person's office. |
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(b) The division shall ensure that the training is made |
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available. The division may provide the training and may also |
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approve any acceptable course of training offered by a governmental |
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body or other entity. The division shall ensure that at least one |
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course of training approved or provided by the division is |
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available on videotape or a functionally similar and widely |
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available medium at no cost. |
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(c) The division or other entity providing the training |
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shall provide a certificate of course completion to persons who |
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complete the training required by this section. A public official |
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shall maintain and make available for public inspection the record |
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of the public official's completion of the training. |
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(d) The failure of one or more public officials of the state |
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or a political subdivision to complete the training required by |
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this section does not affect the validity of an action taken by the |
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state or the political subdivision. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2009, each elected or |
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appointed public official of the state or a political subdivision |
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of the state who has taken the oath of office or otherwise assumed |
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the person's responsibilities before January 1, 2008, must complete |
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a course of training required by Section 418.005, Government Code, |
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as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2008. |