81R5260 EAH-D
 
  By: Carona S.B. No. 12
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to emergency management.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 418.043, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 418.043.  OTHER POWERS AND DUTIES.  The division shall:
               (1)  determine requirements of the state and its
  political subdivisions for food, clothing, and other necessities in
  event of a disaster;
               (2)  procure and position supplies, medicines,
  materials, and equipment;
               (3)  adopt standards and requirements for local and
  interjurisdictional emergency management plans;
               (4)  periodically review local and interjurisdictional
  emergency management plans;
               (5)  coordinate deployment of mobile support units;
               (6)  establish and operate training programs and
  programs of public information or assist political subdivisions and
  emergency management agencies to establish and operate the
  programs;
               (7)  make surveys of public and private industries,
  resources, and facilities in the state that are necessary to carry
  out the purposes of this chapter;
               (8)  plan and make arrangements for the availability
  and use of any private facilities, services, and property and
  provide for payment for use under terms and conditions agreed on if
  the facilities are used and payment is necessary;
               (9)  establish a register of persons with types of
  training and skills important in disaster mitigation,
  preparedness, response, and recovery;
               (10)  establish a register of mobile and construction
  equipment and temporary housing available for use in a disaster;
               (11)  assist political subdivisions in developing
  plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary
  sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster;
               (12)  prepare, for issuance by the governor, executive
  orders and regulations necessary or appropriate in coping with
  disasters;
               (13)  cooperate with the federal government and any
  public or private agency or entity in achieving any purpose of this
  chapter and in implementing programs for disaster mitigation,
  preparation, response, and recovery;  [and]
               (14)  cooperate with the Federal Emergency Management
  Agency to create uniform guidelines for acceptable home repairs
  following disasters and promote public awareness of the guidelines;
               (15)  cooperate with state agencies to include
  information on volunteering during a disaster in all state disaster
  preparation information resources, including Internet websites;
               (16)  establish a liability awareness program for
  volunteers, including medical professionals; and
               (17)  do other things necessary, incidental, or
  appropriate for the implementation of this chapter.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 418.050 to read as follows:
         Sec. 418.050.  PHASED REENTRY PLAN. (a) The division shall
  develop a phased reentry plan to govern the order in which
  particular groups of people are allowed to reenter areas previously
  evacuated because of a disaster or threat of disaster. The plan may
  provide different reentry procedures for different types of
  disasters.
         (b)  The division shall consider giving priority under the
  phased reentry plan to public safety officials, utility employees,
  insurance claims adjusters, the media, and area residents. The
  division shall consider preauthorizing insurance claims adjusters
  to reenter evacuated areas as soon as practicable to begin
  processing claims.
         (c)  The division, in consultation with representatives of
  affected industries, shall develop a reentry credentialing
  process. The division may include the credentialing process in the
  phased reentry plan or administer the credentialing process
  separately.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter H, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 418.185, 418.189, 418.190, and 418.191
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 418.185.  MANDATORY EVACUATION. (a) This section does
  not apply to a person who is authorized to be in an evacuated area,
  including a person who returns to the area under a phased reentry
  plan or reentry credentialing process under Section 418.050.
         (b)  A county judge or mayor of a municipality who orders the
  evacuation of an area stricken or threatened by a disaster by order
  may compel persons who remain in the evacuated area to leave and
  authorize the use of reasonable force to remove persons from the
  area.
         (c)  The governor and a county judge or mayor of a
  municipality who orders the evacuation of an area stricken or
  threatened by a disaster by a concurrent order may compel persons
  who remain in the evacuated area to leave and authorize the use of
  reasonable force to remove persons from the area.
         (d)  A person is civilly liable to a governmental entity, or
  a nonprofit agency cooperating with a governmental entity, that
  conducts a rescue on the person's behalf for the cost of the rescue
  effort if:
               (1)  the person knowingly ignored a mandatory
  evacuation order under this section and:
                     (A)  engaged in an activity or course of action
  that a reasonable person would not have engaged in; or
                     (B)  failed to take a course of action a
  reasonable person would have taken;
               (2)  the person's actions under Subdivision (1) placed
  the person or another person in danger; and
               (3)  a governmental rescue effort was undertaken on the
  person's behalf.
         Sec. 418.189.  DISASTER MANAGEMENT OUTREACH.  A state agency
  involved in disaster management shall conduct outreach and
  disseminate information regarding disaster preparedness and
  recovery to the general public, including residents of affected
  areas, and issue an annual report to the legislature regarding
  those activities.
         Sec. 418.190.  AGRICULTURE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN.  (a)  
  The Department of Agriculture shall prepare and keep current an
  agriculture emergency response plan. The plan must include
  provisions for:
               (1)  identifying and assessing necessary training; and
               (2)  providing information on recovery, relief, and
  assistance following a disaster.
         (b)  The Department of Agriculture shall include the plan
  developed under Subsection (a) in an annual report to the
  legislature.
         Sec. 418.191.  MEDICAL SPECIAL NEEDS VOLUNTEERS.  (a)  An
  entity responsible for the care of individuals with special needs
  shall develop and distribute information on volunteering in
  connection with a disaster.
         (b)  The division shall provide information to interested
  parties and the public regarding how volunteers can be identified
  and trained to help all groups of people, including those with
  special needs and those who are residents of assisted living
  facilities.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 242, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 242.0395 to read as follows:
         Sec. 242.0395.  REGISTRATION WITH TEXAS INFORMATION AND
  REFERRAL NETWORK. (a) An institution licensed under this chapter
  shall register with the Texas Information and Referral Network
  under Section 531.0312, Government Code, to assist the state in
  identifying persons needing assistance evacuating in a disaster or
  other emergency.
         (b)  The institution is not required to identify individual
  residents who may require assistance in evacuating in an emergency
  or to register individual residents with the Texas Information and
  Referral Network for evacuation assistance.
         (c)  The institution shall notify each resident and the
  resident's next of kin or guardian regarding how to register for
  evacuation assistance with the Texas Information and Referral
  Network.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter B, Chapter 247, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 247.0275 to read as follows:
         Sec. 247.0275.  REGISTRATION WITH TEXAS INFORMATION AND
  REFERRAL NETWORK. (a)  An assisted living facility licensed under
  this chapter shall register with the Texas Information and Referral
  Network under Section 531.0312, Government Code, to assist the
  state in identifying persons needing assistance evacuating in a
  disaster or other emergency.
         (b)  The assisted living facility is not required to identify
  individual residents who may require assistance in evacuating in an
  emergency or to register individual residents with the Texas
  Information and Referral Network for evacuation assistance.
         (c)  The assisted living facility shall notify each resident
  and the resident's next of kin or guardian regarding how to register
  for evacuation assistance with the Texas Information and Referral
  Network.
         SECTION 6.  Not later than the 30th day after the effective
  date of this section, the division of emergency management in the
  office of the governor shall issue a report to the legislature
  regarding the implementation of medical special needs plans in
  connection with Hurricane Ike, including identification,
  evacuation, transportation, shelter, care, and reentry during the
  period ending on the 30th day after the conclusion of the disaster.  
  The Department of State Health Services shall cooperate in the
  preparation of the report.
         SECTION 7.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
  section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
         (b)  Section 6 of this Act takes effect immediately if this
  Act receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
  effect, Section 6 of this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.