| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to an alert system for notification of the release of toxic |
|
|
chemicals by a manufacturing facility. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 505.017, Health and |
|
|
Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 505.017. NOTICE ISSUED UNDER EMERGENCIES; TOXIC |
|
|
CHEMICAL EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 505.017, Health and Safety Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(c) If the responsible state agency determines that a |
|
|
release will substantially endanger human health or the |
|
|
environment, the agency shall, not later than 30 minutes after |
|
|
making the determination, notify persons in the area in which the |
|
|
facility is located of the release using the alert system |
|
|
established under Subsection (d). When the agency determines a |
|
|
release is no longer a threat to human health or the environment, |
|
|
the agency shall notify persons using the alert system. |
|
|
(d) The state emergency response commission shall develop |
|
|
and maintain a toxic chemical emergency alert system to notify |
|
|
persons in the area in which the facility is located of a release |
|
|
that will substantially endanger human health or the environment. |
|
|
The commission may partner with other state agencies in developing |
|
|
the alert system and shall allow persons to register for a preferred |
|
|
method of receiving a message under the alert system. In developing |
|
|
the alert system, the commission may use as a model the alert |
|
|
systems established by Subchapter L, Chapter 411, Government Code, |
|
|
and Section 51.854, Water Code. The alert system must allow a |
|
|
person the option of not receiving the alerts on the person's |
|
|
notification to the commission. |
|
|
(e) The toxic chemical emergency alert system must: |
|
|
(1) provide notification through reverse 9-1-1 calls, |
|
|
text messages, e-mails, social media, and other instant messaging |
|
|
systems; and |
|
|
(2) allow the state agency providing the notification |
|
|
to modify the notification based on: |
|
|
(A) the distance of the release to the person |
|
|
receiving the notification; and |
|
|
(B) the projected movement of the release. |
|
|
(f) An alert issued by the toxic chemical emergency alert |
|
|
system must include: |
|
|
(1) each area affected by the release, including a |
|
|
geographic display of the severity of the threat posed by the |
|
|
release; |
|
|
(2) a link to an Internet website or other message |
|
|
system that maintains current information on each affected area; |
|
|
(3) a link to an Internet website or other message |
|
|
system that describes a symptom of any illness caused by the release |
|
|
that may require emergency medical treatment; |
|
|
(4) the chemicals involved in and toxicity of the |
|
|
release; |
|
|
(5) the projected movement of the release; and |
|
|
(6) instructions for protection from exposure to the |
|
|
release or for reducing exposure to the release. |
|
|
(g) The state emergency response commission shall review |
|
|
and modify the toxic chemical emergency alert system, as |
|
|
appropriate, every four years. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2019, the state |
|
|
emergency response commission, as defined in Section 505.004, |
|
|
Health and Safety Code, shall establish the toxic chemical |
|
|
emergency alert system as required by Section 505.017, Health and |
|
|
Safety Code, as amended by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |