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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the required approval of the proposed location of |
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county or municipal temporary housing or emergency shelter for |
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disaster victims. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 418.0201 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.0201. REQUIRED APPROVAL OF TEMPORARY HOUSING OR |
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EMERGENCY SHELTER. (a) The governor, with assistance from the |
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department, shall establish an approval process for a county or |
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municipality to construct or operate temporary housing or an |
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emergency shelter for disaster victims. |
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(b) A county or municipality may apply for approval to |
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construct or operate temporary housing or an emergency shelter for |
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disaster victims at a proposed location by submitting: |
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(1) to the governor, in the form and manner required by |
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the governor, an application with details of the proposed location |
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for the temporary housing or emergency shelter; and |
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(2) to the department, in the form and manner required |
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by the department in consultation with the governor, a request for |
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the department to perform a public safety assessment of the |
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proposed location. |
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(c) On receipt of a county's or municipality's public safety |
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assessment request, the department shall conduct the public safety |
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assessment, including an assessment of the crime rate, for the |
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proposed location of the temporary housing or emergency shelter and |
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shall submit a copy of the completed assessment to the governor. |
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(d) The governor shall review each application a county or |
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municipality submits under this section, the related public safety |
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assessment submitted under Subsection (c), and any other |
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information the governor considers relevant to determine whether |
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the location proposed by the county or municipality for temporary |
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housing or an emergency shelter for disaster victims is a safe |
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location for the disaster victims. |
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(e) The governor shall approve the construction or |
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operation of the temporary housing or emergency shelter at the |
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proposed location if the governor determines that the location is |
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sufficiently safe for the disaster victims. |
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(f) If the governor determines that the proposed location is |
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unsafe for the disaster victims, the governor shall: |
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(1) deny the application; and |
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(2) explain the reason the proposed location is unsafe |
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for the disaster victims. |
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(g) During a disaster, a county or municipality may |
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construct or operate temporary housing or an emergency shelter |
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without prior approval under this section, provided the county or |
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municipality applies for approval under this section not later than |
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the 30th day after the first day of operation of the temporary |
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housing or emergency shelter. |
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(h) The governor shall adopt rules necessary to implement |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the governor shall adopt the rules necessary to |
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implement Section 418.0201, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |