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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption of fire hydrant requirements for a |
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wildland-urban interface in certain municipalities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 797 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 797. WILDFIRE PREVENTION |
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Sec. 797.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Director" means the director of the Texas A&M |
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Forest Service. |
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(2) "Wildfire" and "wildland" have the meanings |
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assigned by Section 88.1015, Education Code. |
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(3) "Wildland-urban interface" means a place where an |
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urban area and wildland meet and that: |
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(A) is designated by the director to be an |
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at-risk area for wildfires; |
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(B) is an area within one-half mile of a place |
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described by Paragraph (A); or |
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(C) is located in a county with an outdoor burn |
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ban in effect for at least 100 days during the past two years. |
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Sec. 797.002. FIRE HYDRANT REQUIREMENTS FOR WILDLAND-URBAN |
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INTERFACE. (a) This section applies only to a municipality with a |
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population of 2,500 or more that has within its boundaries a |
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wildland-urban interface. |
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(b) A governing body of a municipality may by ordinance |
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require a fire hydrant located in that municipality to conform to |
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flow and pressure standards established by the ordinance. |
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(c) A municipality may consult with county and state fire |
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prevention agencies in adopting standards under Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2013. |