87R5127 RDS-D
 
  By: Thierry H.B. No. 1983
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to statewide preparedness and long-term recovery
  strategies for certain issues arising from a pandemic or other
  disaster.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 418.004(1), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
               (1)  "Disaster" means the occurrence or imminent threat
  of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property
  resulting from any natural or man-made cause, including fire,
  flood, earthquake, wind, storm, wave action, oil spill or other
  water contamination, volcanic activity, pandemic, epidemic, air
  contamination, blight, drought, infestation, explosion, riot,
  hostile military or paramilitary action, extreme heat,
  cybersecurity event, other public calamity requiring emergency
  action, or energy emergency.
         SECTION 2.  Section 418.054(g), Government Code, as added by
  Chapter 602 (S.B. 799), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2019, is amended to read as follows:
         (g)  The advisory council shall:
               (1)  advise the division on policies, rules, and
  program operations to assist businesses in recovering from a
  disaster;
               (2)  advise the division on the state resources and
  services needed to assist businesses in recovering from a
  catastrophic loss of electric power; [and]
               (3)  propose solutions to address inefficiencies or
  problems in the state or local governmental disaster response with
  respect to impact on businesses and the economy; and
               (4)  propose solutions to mitigate medical supply chain
  problems and nursing and physician staff shortages that may occur
  during a disaster.
         SECTION 3.  Section 418.054, Government Code, as added by
  Chapters 576 (S.B. 289) and 1018 (H.B. 6), Acts of the 86th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is amended by adding Subsection
  (e) to read as follows:
         (e)  The disaster recovery task force shall address
  long-term solutions to issues arising from a disaster that are
  specific to a pandemic or epidemic, including unemployment issues
  and rental policies and other housing issues.
         SECTION 4.  To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
  over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021,
  relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
  codes.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.