BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2264
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Communications during emergency situations are critical and linking the government with constituents in key geographic areas can save lives. Current technology allows all levels of government to communicate directly with constituents by sending recorded phone messages in mass.
As proposed, S.B. 2264 establishes a community telephone emergency notification system that would allow the government to call citizens in a certain area. The bill provides for administration of the system by the Commission on State Emergency Communications, which runs the current 9-1-1 emergency system.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 771.051(a), Health and Safety Code, to require the Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC) to develop minimum performance standards for equipment and operation of 9-1-1 service to be followed in developing regional plans under Section 771.055 (Strategic Planning), including requirements that the plans provide for operation of a community telephone emergency notification system that can be used to disseminate quickly critical information to large numbers or targeted groups of individuals and businesses. Makes conforming changes.
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 that an emergency communication district, notwithstanding any other law, provide as part of the 9-1-1 system for each participating jurisdiction a community telephone emergency notification system that can be used to disseminate quickly critical information to large numbers or targeted groups of individuals and businesses.
SECTION 3. (a) Requires that CSEC adopt the performance standards relating to a community telephone emergency notification system as required by Section 771.051(a), Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, not later than October 1, 2009.
(b) Requires each regional planning commission, as that term is 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, 2010. Requires that the amendment describe the procedures the regional planning commission will use to fully implement a community telephone emergency notification system not later than July 1, 2010.
(c) Requires an emergency communication district to fully implement a community telephone emergency notification system as required by Section 772.003, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, not later than July 1, 2010.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2009.