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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to local public health and public safety alerts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter I to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER I. LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ALERTS |
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Sec. 418.190. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety |
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of the State of Texas. |
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(2) "Director" means the public safety director. |
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(3) "Emergency management director" means a person |
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designated to serve as emergency management director under Section |
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418.1015. |
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(4) "Health authority" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 81.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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Sec. 418.191. LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ALERTS. |
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With the cooperation of the Texas Department of Transportation and |
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emergency management directors, the department shall develop and |
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implement a system for municipalities and counties to issue local |
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public health and public safety alerts through an existing system |
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of dynamic message signs. |
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Sec. 418.192. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The director is the |
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statewide coordinator of the local public health and public safety |
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alert system. |
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(b) The director shall adopt rules and issue directives as |
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necessary to ensure proper implementation of the alert system. The |
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rules and directives must include: |
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(1) the procedures to be used by a health authority to |
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verify a threat to public health within the health authority's |
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jurisdiction; |
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(2) the procedures to be used by a local law |
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enforcement agency to verify a threat to public safety within the |
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agency's jurisdiction; and |
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(3) the procedures to be used by an individual or |
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entity to report information about a threat to public health or |
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public safety. |
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(c) The director shall prescribe forms for use by an |
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emergency management director for a municipality or county in |
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requesting activation of the alert system. |
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Sec. 418.193. DUTIES OF TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. |
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(a) The Texas Department of Transportation shall: |
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(1) cooperate with the department and emergency |
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management directors and assist in developing and implementing the |
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alert system; and |
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(2) establish a plan for providing relevant |
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information to the public in affected areas of the state through an |
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existing system of dynamic message signs. |
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(b) The Texas Department of Transportation may coordinate |
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the implementation of its duties under this subchapter with the |
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implementation of the silver alert system under Subchapter M, |
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Chapter 411. |
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Sec. 418.194. NOTIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL THREAT TO |
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PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) An emergency management |
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director may notify the department if the emergency management |
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director receives notice from: |
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(1) a health authority of a verified threat to public |
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health within the health authority's jurisdiction; or |
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(2) a local law enforcement agency of a verified |
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threat to public safety within the agency's jurisdiction. |
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(b) The emergency management director must determine that |
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the information provided by a health authority or a local law |
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enforcement agency poses a credible threat to the municipality or |
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county. |
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Sec. 418.195. ACTIVATION. (a) On the request of an |
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emergency management director, the department shall activate the |
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alert system and notify appropriate participants in the alert |
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system. |
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(b) The department shall send the alert to designated media |
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outlets in the area affected by the public health or public safety |
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threat. Following receipt of the alert, participating media |
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outlets may issue the alert at designated intervals. |
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Sec. 418.196. CONTENT OF LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC |
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SAFETY ALERT. A local public health or public safety alert must |
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include: |
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(1) all appropriate information that is provided by |
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the emergency management director; and |
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(2) information on whom an individual in the affected |
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area can contact for more information. |
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Sec. 418.197. TERMINATION OF LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC |
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SAFETY ALERT. (a) The director shall terminate any activation of |
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the alert with respect to a local public health or public safety |
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alert not later than the earlier of the time at which: |
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(1) the local public health or public safety threat is |
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resolved; or |
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(2) the notification period ends, as determined by |
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department rule. |
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(b) An emergency management director that requests |
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activation of the alert system under this subchapter shall notify |
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the department as soon as possible that the local public health or |
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public safety threat is resolved. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |