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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the transfer of certain functions related to emergency |
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services districts from the Department of Agriculture to the |
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Department of State Health Services and the Texas Commission on |
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Fire Protection. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 419.904, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 419.904. [TECHNICAL] ASSISTANCE TO EMERGENCY SERVICES |
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DISTRICTS. The commission may [on request] provide: |
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(1) to emergency services districts technical |
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assistance on request [to emergency services districts], including |
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advice on the efficient and effective provision of fire protection |
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within a district; |
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(2) to fire departments in rural areas information |
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relating to assistance programs offered to rural volunteer |
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firefighters, including the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and |
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Emergency Response grant program to help fire departments increase |
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staffing and deployment capabilities; and |
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(3) to rural homeowners information relating to the |
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benefits of volunteer fire departments, including a reduction in |
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homeowners insurance risk ratings, lower homeowners insurance |
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rates, and better fire protection. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 12.021 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.021. EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT PROGRAM. The |
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department shall serve as a resource to provide interested rural |
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communities with: |
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(1) general information about emergency services |
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districts; and |
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(2) information and training related to the |
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establishment of an emergency services district. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 775.083(a), (b), and (c), Health and |
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Safety Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) On or before January 1 of each year, a district shall |
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file with the [Texas] Department of State Health Services [Rural
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Affairs] an annual report that includes the following: |
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(1) the district's name; |
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(2) the name of each county in which the district is |
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located; |
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(3) the district's business address; |
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(4) the name, mailing address, and term of office of |
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each commissioner; |
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(5) the name, mailing address, and term of office of |
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the district's general manager, executive director, and fire chief; |
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(6) the name of each legal counsel or other consultant |
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for the district; and |
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(7) the district's annual budget and tax rate for the |
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preceding fiscal year. |
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(b) The [Texas] Department of State Health Services [Rural
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Affairs] may not charge a fee for filing the report. |
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(c) The [Texas] Department of State Health Services [Rural
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Affairs] shall develop and maintain an Internet-based system that |
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enables: |
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(1) a district to securely file the report and update |
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the district's information; and |
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(2) the public to view, in a searchable format, the |
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reports filed by districts under this section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 487.061, Government Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act to Section |
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775.083, Health and Safety Code, applies only to an annual report |
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due on or after January 1, 2019. An annual report due before |
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January 1, 2019, is governed by the law as it existed immediately |
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before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |