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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing information and communication regarding and |
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during 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, 418.056, 418.057, |
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418.058, and 418.059 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.054. COORDINATING 9-1-1 TEXT MESSAGE CAPABILITY. |
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The division, in consultation with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension |
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Service, shall coordinate state and local government efforts to |
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make 9-1-1 emergency service capable of receiving text messages |
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from a cellular telephone or other wireless communication device. |
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Sec. 418.055. SOCIAL MEDIA USE DURING AND AFTER DISASTERS. |
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The division, in consultation with any state agency or private |
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entity the division determines is appropriate, shall develop |
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standards for the use of social media as a communication tool by |
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governmental entities during and after a disaster. The standards |
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must: |
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(1) require state agencies, political subdivisions, |
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first responders, and volunteers that use social media during and |
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after a disaster to post consistent and clear information; |
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(2) optimize the effectiveness of social media use |
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during and after a disaster; and |
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(3) require that certain official social media |
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accounts be used during and after a disaster only for providing |
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credible sources of information. |
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Sec. 418.056. DISASTER MOBILE APPLICATION. (a) The |
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division shall develop a mobile application for wireless |
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communication devices to communicate critical information during a |
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disaster directly to disaster victims and first responders. |
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(b) The mobile application may provide information on: |
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(1) road and weather conditions during a disaster; and |
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(2) disaster response and recovery activities. |
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Sec. 418.057. DISASTER WEB PORTAL. The division shall |
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develop a comprehensive disaster web portal. The web portal must: |
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(1) provide disaster information to the public, |
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including information on programs and services available to |
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disaster victims and funding for and expenditures of disaster |
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assistance programs; |
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(2) include information on disaster response and |
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recovery activities; and |
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(3) provide information on obtaining assistance from |
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the Federal Emergency Management Agency, state agencies, organized |
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volunteer groups, and any other entities providing disaster |
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assistance. |
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Sec. 418.058. USE OF DATA ANALYTICS IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT. |
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To the extent feasible, the division shall use data analytics |
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software to integrate data from federal, state, local, and |
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nongovernmental sources to more effectively manage disaster |
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response and recovery. |
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Sec. 418.059. STUDY ON STANDARD COMMUNICATION FORMAT. (a) |
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To improve the state's response to disasters, the division shall |
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conduct a study on the use of a standard communication format by |
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first responders to create a common interoperable operating |
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framework during a disaster. The study must: |
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(1) examine the costs and benefits of promoting the |
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use of a standard communication format to create a comprehensive |
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common operating framework that is interoperable across networks; |
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(2) identify any costs that first responders may incur |
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in acquiring equipment complying with a standard communication |
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format; and |
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(3) identify necessary actions to adopt a standard |
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communication format. |
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(b) Not later than September 1, 2020, the division shall |
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submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and members of the |
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legislature a report on the findings of the study. |
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(c) This section expires December 1, 2020. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 418.127 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.127. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMUNITY OUTREACH. To |
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the extent practicable, the following entities shall conduct |
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community outreach, including public awareness campaigns, and |
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education activities on disaster preparedness each year: |
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(1) municipalities and counties; |
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(2) the department, including the division; |
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(3) the Texas Education Agency; |
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(4) the office of the comptroller; |
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(5) the Texas Department of Insurance; |
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(6) the Texas Department of Transportation; |
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(7) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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Affairs; |
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(8) the Health and Human Services Commission; and |
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(9) the Department of State Health Services. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 418.193 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.193. LOCAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REGISTRY PLANS. |
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(a) In this section, "emergency assistance registry" means the |
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registry maintained by the division that provides local emergency |
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planners and emergency responders with additional information on |
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the needs of certain individuals in their communities. |
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(b) An emergency management director described by Section |
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418.1015 shall develop a plan to use information from the emergency |
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assistance registry during the political subdivision's response to |
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a disaster. The emergency management director shall publish the |
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plan on: |
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(1) the political subdivision's Internet website; and |
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(2) the department's Internet website in accordance |
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with Subsection (c). |
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(c) The division shall develop a process by which a plan |
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developed by an emergency management director under Subsection (b) |
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may be published to the department's Internet website. The |
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division shall establish a designated area on the department's |
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Internet website for the public to view the plan. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |