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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the maintenance of National Oceanic and Atmospheric |
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Administration (NOAA) weather alert radios by certain campgrounds, |
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hotels, and recreational vehicle parks. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 787 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 787. WEATHER ALERT RADIOS |
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Sec. 787.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Campground" means a public or private property |
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designed to provide cabins for transient guest use or areas for |
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locating a tent, tent trailer, pickup camper, recreational vehicle, |
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trailer, or other equipment designed for camping for transient |
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guest use. |
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(2) "Hotel" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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792.001. |
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(3) "NOAA weather alert radio" means a device that is: |
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(A) designed to detect, receive, and provide |
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alerts regarding warnings issued by the National Oceanic and |
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Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio system; and |
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(B) equipped with an audible alarm capable of |
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alerting occupants of the room in which the radio is installed of |
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the presence of an impending weather emergency. |
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(4) "NOAA weather alert radio for hearing-impaired |
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persons" means a NOAA weather alert radio that, in addition to the |
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features of a standard NOAA weather alert radio, is equipped with a |
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strobe light with a visible effective intensity of not less than 100 |
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candela, as tested and labeled in accordance with ANSI/UL Standard |
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1638, and with a flash rate of not fewer than 60 and not more than |
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120 flashes per minute. |
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(5) "Recreational vehicle park" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 13.087, Water Code. |
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Sec. 787.002. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to |
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a campground, hotel, or recreational vehicle park that is located |
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wholly or partly: |
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(1) within the boundaries of the 100-year floodplain |
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as determined by the most recent maps published by the Federal |
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Emergency Management Authority; or |
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(2) within one-quarter mile of the bank of a river or |
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creek. |
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Sec. 787.003. NOAA WEATHER ALERT RADIOS REQUIRED. (a) An |
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operator of a campground, hotel, or recreational vehicle park to |
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which this chapter applies shall maintain a NOAA weather alert |
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radio in good working order in: |
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(1) each room of the hotel or permanent structure |
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located on the property of the campground or recreational vehicle |
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park that is regularly used for sleeping; and |
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(2) each common room or area on the property of the |
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campground, hotel, or recreational vehicle park that is accessible |
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to staff or members of the public. |
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(b) An operator of a campground, hotel, or recreational |
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vehicle park shall, on request, provide a NOAA weather alert radio |
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for hearing-impaired persons for use on the property of the |
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campground, hotel, or recreational vehicle park. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |