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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to emergency warning systems operated by municipalities |
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and counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 418.1103 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.1103. LOCAL EMERGENCY WARNING SYSTEM. (a) In this |
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section, "contact information" means an individual's telephone |
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number, mobile telephone number, physical address, or e-mail |
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address. |
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(b) For purposes of operating an emergency warning system |
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for residents of a political subdivision, the political subdivision |
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may contract with the department for disclosure by the department |
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of the contact information of a political subdivision resident who |
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consents to the disclosure for the purpose of participating in the |
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system. |
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(c) A participant in an emergency warning system described |
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by Subsection (b) may request removal from the system by submitting |
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a written request, including a text message from a cellular |
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telephone or other wireless communication device, for removal to |
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the applicable political subdivision. On receipt of the request, |
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the applicable political subdivision shall remove the |
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participant's contact information from the system and cease issuing |
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emergency warnings to the former participant through the system. |
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(d) A participant in an emergency warning system described |
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by Subsection (b) may elect to receive warning alerts in both |
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English and Spanish. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 521.015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.015. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL EMERGENCY |
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WARNING SYSTEM. (a) In this section, "contact information" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 418.1103, Government Code. |
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(b) When a person applies for an original or renewal |
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driver's license under this chapter, the person may consent to: |
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(1) participate in an emergency warning system |
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described by Section 418.1103, Government Code; and |
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(2) the disclosure by the department of the person's |
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contact information to the municipality or county, or both, in |
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which the person resides for the purpose of participating in an |
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emergency warning system operated by the municipality or county. |
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(c) The department shall include space on each application |
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for an original or renewal driver's license that allows a person |
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applying for an original or renewal driver's license to indicate |
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whether the person consents to participate in an emergency warning |
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system operated by the municipality or county, or both, in which the |
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person resides and consents to disclosure by the department of the |
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person's contact information to the municipality or county or both. |
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(d) The department shall disclose a person's contact |
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information to a municipality or county for participation in an |
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emergency warning system if: |
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(1) the person indicates the person's consent to |
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participate in an emergency warning system and to the disclosure of |
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the person's contact information under Subsection (b); and |
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(2) the applicable municipality or county: |
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(A) operates an emergency warning system; and |
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(B) has contracted with the department for the |
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disclosure of the person's contact information under Section |
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418.1103, Government Code. |
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(e) Contact information obtained by a municipality or |
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county under this section may not be used or disclosed for any |
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purpose other than enrolling a person in an emergency warning |
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system and issuing warnings to the person through the system. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |