BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 594
86R8897 YDB-D	By: Kolkhorst
	Business & Commerce
	3/30/2019
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

S.B. 594 creates the "Business Advisory Council on Disaster Recovery and Mitigation" (council) to allow the land commissioner to access private business expertise and act as a conduit for problems they have in disaster recovery. The council will consist of representatives from several business sectors, including banking, insurance, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, tourism, and small business. The council would not have the authority to spend money or write regulations, but would provide much-needed private sector advice and expertise.

 

The Texas General Land Office (GLO) has played a critical role in the response and recovery to Hurricane Harvey. This experience has shown that GLO lacks critical input from the business community on their needs and issues related to disaster preparation and recovery.

 

Following the storm, GLO issued a report (the "Nastios Report") that contained several recommendations designed to better protect Texans for the next disaster. The number one recommendation in that report is the creation of this council.

 

Over many decades, the Texas private sector has developed expertise in disaster recovery, mitigation, and resilience efforts. The private sector could add value to state and local recovery managers on disaster recovery, particularly on housing issues. For example, to protect their infrastructure and stockholder investments, many U.S. businesses have highly advanced technological systems of disaster construction engineering and other innovative solutions for addressing the risks their industry faces from hurricanes and floods.

 

As proposed, S.B. 594 amends current law relating to the creation of a business advisory council on disaster recovery and mitigation.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 31, Natural Resources Code, by adding Section 31.069, as follows:

 

Sec. 31.069. BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL ON DISASTER RECOVERY AND MITIGATION. (a) Defines "advisory council" and "disaster."

 

(b) Establishes the business advisory council on disaster recovery and mitigation (advisory council) to provide to the commissioner of the Texas General Land Office (GLO; commissioner) advice and expertise on disaster recovery and mitigation as described by Subsection (g).

 

(c)� Sets forth the composition of the membership of the advisory council.

 

(d) Provides that members of the advisory council serve staggered four-year terms.

 

(e) Provides that an advisory council member is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of the advisory council.

 

(f) Requires the advisory council members to elect a presiding officer from among the members.

 

(g) Requires the advisory council to:

 

(1) provide advice on disaster recovery mitigation and resilience, specifically related to housing;

 

(2) provide information on advanced technological systems for disaster construction engineering and other innovative solutions for addressing infrastructure risks;

 

(3) provide information on banking and insurance requirements imposed following a disaster that may affect housing construction and recovery in areas affected by the disaster;

 

(4) provide advice during disaster recovery on issues faced by state and local governments; and

 

(5) propose solutions to address inefficiencies or problems in the state or local governmental disaster response with respect to issues described by this subsection.

 

(h) Requires the advisory council to meet at the times and locations determined by the presiding officer, not to exceed four meetings each year.

 

(i) Requires the advisory council, not later than November 1 of each even‑numbered year, to submit a report on the advisory council�s activities, advice, and proposed solutions to the commissioner, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives.

 

(j) Requires GLO to provide administrative support to the advisory council.

 

(k) Provides that Chapter 2110 (State Agency Advisory Committees), Government Code, does not apply to the advisory council.

 

SECTION 2. Requires the commissioner, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to appoint to the advisory council two members to terms expiring February 1, 2021, two members to terms expiring February 1, 2022, and two members to terms expiring February 1, 2023.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.