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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishment of the Texas Emergency Alert Management |
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System (TEAMS). |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 411.004, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 411.004. DUTIES AND POWERS OF COMMISSION. The |
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commission shall: |
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(1) formulate plans and policies for: |
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(A) enforcement of state criminal, traffic, and |
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safety laws; |
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(B) prevention of crime; |
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(C) detection and apprehension of persons who |
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violate laws; and |
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(D) education of citizens of this state in the |
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promotion of public safety and the observance of law; |
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(2) organize the department and supervise its |
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operation; |
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(3) adopt rules considered necessary for carrying out |
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the department's work; |
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(4) maintain records of all proceedings and official |
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orders; [and] |
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(5) biennially submit a report of its work to the |
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governor and legislature, including the commission's and director's |
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recommendations; and |
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(6) notwithstanding any other law, the department has |
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authority to manage emergency alert systems in the state. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter L-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER L-1. TEXAS EMERGENCY ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS) |
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Sec. 411.371. DEFINITION. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "alert management system" means the Texas |
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Emergency Alert Management System (TEAMS) established under this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 411.372. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEXAS |
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ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS). With the cooperation of the Texas |
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Division of Emergency Management, the Texas Department of |
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Transportation, the Commission on State Emergency Communications, |
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the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Health and Human |
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Services Commission, the Texas Department of State Health Services, |
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the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of |
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Texas, the State Office of Risk Management, the office of the |
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governor, and other appropriate agencies in this state, the |
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department shall identify potential threats of regional or |
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statewide significance and develop and implement a plan to alert |
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the public by use of the Federal Wireless Emergency Alert System in |
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the event that the director, chief of the Texas Division of |
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Emergency Management appointed under Section 418.041, and a state |
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elected official identify a need to alert Texans to an imminent |
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threat to public health or safety. |
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Sec. 411.373. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The director is the |
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statewide coordinator of the alert management system. |
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(b) The director shall adopt rules and issue directives as |
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necessary to ensure proper implementation of the alert management |
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system. |
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(c) The director shall prescribe forms to use in requesting |
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activation of an alert regarding an emergency of statewide or |
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regional significance. |
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Sec. 411.374. DEPARTMENT TO RECRUIT PARTICIPANTS. (a) The |
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department shall recruit public and commercial television and radio |
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broadcasters, mobile telephone service providers, private |
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commercial entities, state or local governmental entities, the |
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public, and other appropriate persons to assist in developing and |
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implementing the alert management system. |
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(b) The department may enter into agreements with |
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participants in the alert management system to provide necessary |
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support for the alert management system. |
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Sec. 411.375. ACTIVATION. (a) On the request of a state |
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elected official and a state agency official or law enforcement |
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agency, the department shall investigate the need to activate a |
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statewide or regional alert that is not otherwise authorized by |
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Chapter 411 or 418, Government Code and notify appropriate |
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participants in the alert system as established by rule if |
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director, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management |
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appointed under Section 418.041, and a state elected official |
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identify a need to alert Texans to an imminent statewide or regional |
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threat to public health or safety |
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Sec. 411.376. STATE AGENCIES. (a) A state agency |
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participating in the alert system shall cooperate with the |
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department and assist in identifying potential threats and |
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developing and implementing the alert management system. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the public safety director of the Department of Public |
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Safety of the State of Texas shall adopt rules and issue directives |
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necessary to implement Subchapter L-1, Chapter 411, Government |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |