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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to services provided during and following a disaster. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 418.054, 418.055, and 418.056 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 418.054. COMMUNICATIONS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A |
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DISASTER. The division, in collaboration with the Texas A&M |
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AgriLife Extension Service and other appropriate entities, shall to |
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the extent practicable include private wireless communication, |
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Internet, and cable service providers in the disaster planning |
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process and determine the availability of the providers' portable |
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satellite communications equipment and portable mobile telephone |
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towers to assist in response and recovery immediately following |
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disasters. |
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Sec. 418.055. HARDENING OF UTILITY FACILITIES AND CRITICAL |
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INFRASTRUCTURE. (a) In this section, "critical infrastructure" |
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includes hospitals and fire stations. |
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(b) The division shall identify methods for hardening |
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utility facilities and critical infrastructure in order to maintain |
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operations of essential services during disasters. |
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(c) The division shall, in collaboration with the Texas A&M |
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AgriLife Extension Service, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, |
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the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Railroad |
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Commission of Texas: |
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(1) locate utility facilities and critical |
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infrastructure in this state and determine methods for effectively |
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reducing risks and impacts on those facilities and that |
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infrastructure from a disaster; and |
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(2) encourage public and private entities that are |
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responsible for utility facilities and critical infrastructure to |
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implement the methods determined under Subdivision (1). |
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Sec. 418.056. REPORT ON BUILDING TRADE SERVICES FOLLOWING |
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DISASTERS. (a) Not later than November 1, 2020, the division shall |
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submit a report to members of the legislature on improving the |
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oversight, accountability, and availability of building trade |
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services following disasters. The report must include: |
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(1) strategies to increase the availability of |
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tradespeople, including plumbers and electricians, following a |
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disaster; |
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(2) approaches to increase prosecutions of alleged |
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fraud related to building trade services offered following a |
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disaster; and |
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(3) methods to encourage performance bond |
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requirements in contracts for building trade services to be |
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performed following a disaster. |
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(b) The division shall consult with appropriate state |
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entities, including the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and |
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Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, local governments, |
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trade associations, and law enforcement groups in preparing the |
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report described by Subsection (a). |
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(c) This section expires January 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 17, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 17.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 17.010. DISASTER BILLING AWARENESS. The commission in |
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cooperation with the Texas Division of Emergency Management shall: |
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(1) promote public awareness of bill payment |
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assistance available during a disaster for electric, water, and |
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wastewater services, including assistance for consumers on level |
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billing plans; and |
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(2) provide the public with information about billing |
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practices during a disaster to ensure that consumers of electric, |
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water, and wastewater services have an adequate understanding of |
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their rights. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2019, the Texas |
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Division of Emergency Management and the Public Utility Commission |
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of Texas shall begin the public awareness campaign required by |
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Section 17.010, Utilities Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |