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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a task force to study and develop |
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uniform reentry procedures for essential personnel entering an area |
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evacuated during a disaster or other emergency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 418.018, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows: |
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(d) The governor's division of emergency management, in |
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cooperation with the Department of Public Safety, shall create a |
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task force to study and develop uniform reentry procedures for |
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essential personnel entering a disaster area or a stricken or |
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threatened area that has been evacuated. The task force shall |
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submit a written report on the procedures developed by the task |
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force to the governor. The procedures must: |
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(1) authorize the orderly reentry of essential |
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personnel according to the critical functions provided by the |
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personnel in restoring normal operations to the area following an |
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evacuation; |
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(2) prioritize the order of reentry for the essential |
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personnel, including emergency responders, search and rescue |
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personnel, infrastructure and utility repair personnel, official |
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damage assessment personnel, health care providers, and businesses |
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essential to the return of residents; and |
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(3) establish methods to authenticate the identity of |
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the personnel authorized to reenter the area. |
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(e) The task force created under Subsection (d) must include |
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representatives of: |
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(1) the office of the governor; |
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(2) the Department of Public Safety; |
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(3) emergency responders; |
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(4) search and rescue personnel; |
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(5) infrastructure and utility repair personnel; |
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(6) official damage assessment personnel; |
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(7) health care providers; |
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(8) county judges and mayors; and |
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(9) businesses essential to the return of residents. |
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(f) Based on the report and procedures developed by the task |
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force created under Subsection (d) and in cooperation with the |
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Department of Public Safety, the governor by rule shall establish |
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uniform reentry procedures for essential personnel entering a |
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disaster area or a stricken or threatened area that has been |
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evacuated. The rules adopted under this section shall not diminish |
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the authority of local emergency management officials to adopt |
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appropriate reentry provisions in a local plan or to make decisions |
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on the timing and implementation of reentry activities. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the governor, in cooperation with the Department of |
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Public Safety of the State of Texas, shall: |
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(1) appoint members to the task force created under |
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Subsection (d), Section 418.018, Government Code, as added by this |
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Act; and |
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(2) based on the report and procedures developed by |
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the task force, adopt rules on uniform reentry procedures for |
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essential personnel as required by Subsection (f), Section 418.018, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |