BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2334
86R13674 AAF-D	By: Creighton
	Water & Rural Affairs
	4/11/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Lessons from Hurricane Harvey have illustrated the need for improvements in the food procurement process following a natural disaster and investments in food bank infrastructure for disaster preparedness. Every day, Texas food banks safely and efficiently source and distribute thousands of pounds of food in cooperation with local partner agencies and volunteers. This work perfectly positions them to respond to major disasters at significant cost savings to the state. In the past, Texas has relied on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to procure food during federally declared disasters, at a significant cost to the state, as states can be assessed up to a 25 percent cost share for these purchases. Food banks can procure a greater variety of food more efficiently and cost-effectively than FEMA, a great savings to Texas. Building food banks' capital infrastructure to respond to disasters will have the added benefit of greater capacity during "blue skies," allowing them to reach more Texans in need and avoid equipment falling into disuse or disrepair.

As proposed, S.B. 2334 amends current law relating to grants awarded to nonprofit food banks for disaster response.

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 B, Chapter 418, Government Code, by adding Section 418.026, as follows:

Sec. 418.026. DISASTER GRANTS FOR NONPROFIT FOOD BANKS. (a) Defines "nonprofit food bank" for purposes of this section.

(b) Requires the Office of the Governor (governor's office) to establish a program to provide grants to nonprofit food banks in this state to build the capacity of nonprofit food banks to respond to disasters.

(c) Authorizes grant money awarded under this section to be used only to reimburse a nonprofit food bank for all or part of the costs incurred by the nonprofit food bank as a result of:

(1) maintaining an inventory of emergency food boxes in preparation for a disaster;

(2) purchasing, storing, and transporting food for distribution during a disaster; and

(3) purchasing capital equipment necessary to operate through a disaster, including back-up generators, mobile food pantries, trucks, meal preparation units, forklifts, technology, and other equipment.

(d) Requires the governor's office to establish procedures to administer the grant program, including a procedure for the submission of a proposal and a procedure to be used by the office to evaluate a proposal.

(e) Requires the governor's office to enter into a contract that includes performance requirements with each grant recipient. Requires the governor's office to monitor and enforce the terms of the contract. Requires the contract to authorize the office to recoup grant money from a grant recipient for failure of the grant recipient to comply with the terms of the contract.

(f) Authorizes the governor's office to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the purpose of awarding grants under this section.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.