By: Miller, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 3022

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 11, 2019; April 17, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental Relations; May 15, 2019, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 15, 2019, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to emergency warning systems operated by municipalities and counties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 418.1103 to read as follows:

Sec. 418.1103. LOCAL EMERGENCY WARNING SYSTEM. (a) In this section, "contact information" means an individual's telephone number, mobile telephone number, physical address, or e-mail address.

(b) For purposes of operating an emergency warning system for residents of a political subdivision, the political subdivision may contract with the department for disclosure by the department of the contact information of a political subdivision resident who consents to the disclosure for the purpose of participating in the system.

(c) A participant in an emergency warning system described by Subsection (b) may request removal from the system by submitting a written request, including a text message from a cellular telephone or other wireless communication device, for removal to the applicable political subdivision. On receipt of the request, the applicable political subdivision shall remove the participant's contact information from the system and cease issuing emergency warnings to the former participant through the system.

SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 521.013 to read as follows:

Sec. 521.013. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL EMERGENCY WARNING SYSTEM. (a) In this section, "contact information" has the meaning assigned by Section 418.1103, Government Code.

(b) When a person applies for an original or renewal driver's license under this chapter, the person may consent to:

(1) participate in an emergency warning system described by Section 418.1103, Government Code; and

(2) the disclosure by the department of the person's contact information to the municipality or county, or both, in which the person resides for the purpose of participating in an emergency warning system operated by the municipality or county.

(c) The department shall include space on each application for an original or renewal driver's license that allows a person applying for an original or renewal driver's license to indicate whether the person consents to participate in an emergency warning system operated by the municipality or county, or both, in which the person resides and consents to disclosure by the department of the person's contact information to the municipality or county or both.

(d) The department shall disclose a person's contact information to a municipality or county for participation in an emergency warning system if:

(1) the person indicates the person's consent to participate in an emergency warning system and to the disclosure of the person's contact information under Subsection (b); and

(2) the applicable municipality or county:

(A) operates an emergency warning system; and

(B) has contracted with the department for the disclosure of the person's contact information under Section 418.1103, Government Code.

(e) Contact information obtained by a municipality or county under this section may not be used or disclosed for any purpose other than enrolling a person in an emergency warning system and issuing warnings to the person through the system.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.

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