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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a grant program and task force |
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relating to disaster issues affecting persons who are elderly and |
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persons with disabilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter F-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER F-1. DISASTER ISSUES AFFECTING PERSONS WHO ARE ELDERLY |
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AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES |
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Sec. 418.131. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Disability" means, with respect to an individual, |
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a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits at least |
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one major life activity of that individual. |
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(2) "Task force" means the task force established |
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under Section 418.132. |
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Sec. 418.132. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. The task force on |
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disaster issues affecting persons who are elderly and persons with |
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disabilities is established to: |
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(1) administer the grant program under Section |
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418.134; and |
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(2) study methods to more effectively: |
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(A) assist persons who are elderly and persons |
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with disabilities during a disaster or emergency evacuation; and |
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(B) accommodate persons who are elderly and |
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persons with disabilities in emergency shelters. |
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Sec. 418.133. COMPOSITION. (a) The task force is composed |
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of 11 members appointed by the governor, including: |
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(1) three members who are first responders; |
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(2) one member who represents municipalities; |
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(3) one member who represents counties; and |
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(4) six members who represent persons with |
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disabilities, including one who represents persons who are blind, |
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one who represents persons who are deaf, and one selected from a |
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list provided by ADAPT of Texas. |
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(b) A majority of the members appointed to the task force |
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must be persons with disabilities or guardians of children with |
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disabilities. |
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(c) Members serve staggered six-year terms with the terms of |
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three or four members expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered |
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year. |
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(d) The governor shall designate one member of the task |
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force to serve as the presiding officer of the task force. The |
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presiding officer serves in that capacity at the pleasure of the |
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governor. |
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Sec. 418.134. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) From funds appropriated |
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for the purpose and gifts, grants, and donations accepted for the |
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purpose, the division shall award grants as provided by this |
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subchapter to provide financial support for: |
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(1) activities that include persons who are elderly |
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and persons with disabilities in the preparation for, response to, |
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recovery from, and mitigation of disasters; |
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(2) strategies and procedures that implement |
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community-level practices that decrease deaths, injuries, and harm |
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resulting from disasters to persons who are elderly and persons |
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with disabilities; |
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(3) the development of state and local policies that |
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reinforce and promote the inclusion of persons who are elderly and |
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persons with disabilities in community preparation for disasters; |
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and |
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(4) research related to disasters and persons who are |
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elderly and persons with disabilities. |
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(b) The task force shall review grant proposals and |
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recommend grant recipients to the division. The division shall |
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award grants based on those recommendations. |
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(c) The division shall establish procedures to administer |
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the grant program, including a procedure for the submission of a |
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proposal. |
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(d) The division shall enter into a contract with each grant |
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recipient that includes performance requirements. The division |
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shall monitor and enforce the terms of the contract. The contract |
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must authorize the division to recoup grant money from a grant |
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recipient for failure of the grant recipient to comply with the |
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terms of the contract. |
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(e) The division may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations from any source for the purpose of awarding grants under |
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this section. |
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Sec. 418.135. TASK FORCE STUDY. (a) The task force shall |
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study methods to more effectively accommodate persons who are |
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elderly and persons with disabilities during a disaster or |
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emergency evacuation. The study must examine and make |
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recommendations on: |
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(1) the provision of informational materials to |
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persons who are elderly and persons with disabilities before a |
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disaster occurs on disaster or emergency evacuation; |
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(2) the accessibility of transportation and medical |
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supplies to persons who are elderly and persons with disabilities |
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during a disaster; |
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(3) different solutions for accommodating persons who |
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are elderly and persons with disabilities during a disaster or |
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emergency evacuation of a rural or urban area; |
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(4) the ability to effectively communicate with |
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persons who are elderly and persons with disabilities during a |
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disaster; and |
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(5) the availability of volunteers to assist persons |
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who are elderly and persons with disabilities during an emergency |
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evacuation. |
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(b) The task force shall develop and submit a written report |
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of the study and recommendations developed by the task force to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and each member of the legislature not later than |
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December 1, 2020. |
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(c) This section expires June 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |