TO: | Honorable Craig Estes, Chair, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs & Homeland Security |
FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB1090 by Martinez, "Mando" (Relating to the creation of Texas Task Force 1 Type 3 Rio Grande Valley.), As Engrossed |
The provisions of the bill establish Texas Task Force 1 Type 3 (Task Force) Rio Grande Valley which would be a new search and rescue team operated by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). The training and assistance capabilities must be substantially equivalent to the training and assistance capabilities of Texas Task Force 1. The new Task Force headquarters would be located in the Rio Grande Valley and its members would be responsible for any costs and expenses related to the operation, training, and equipment of the Task Force. Its members would be mostly composed of fire fighters from fire departments in various municipalities.
The bill also requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to study the Task Force established by the bill. DPS shall report the results of the study to the legislature on or before the first anniversary of the effective date of this bill. It is anticipated that DPS could implement the study with current resources.
TEEX anticipates any costs at TEEX associated with the provisions of the bill would be covered with current resources.
The bill takes effect immediately if it 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, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
Based on information provided by Texas A&M System, it is anticipated that members of the Task Force would use the equipment from their respective local fire departments and any costs for the equipment would be covered by the local fire departments. TEEX estimates that the training costs would total $200,000 per year and anticipates that the local fire departments that employ the members of the Task Force would cover the costs of the training.
Source Agencies: | 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 716 Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
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LBB Staff: | UP, SZ, SK, DE, ESi
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