Bill Text: TX HB2891 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to establishment of the Texas Emergency Alert Management System (TEAMS).
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-18 - Referred to Homeland Security & Public Safety [HB2891 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB2891-Introduced.html
By: Landgraf | H.B. No. 2891 |
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relating to establishment of the Texas Emergency Alert Management | ||
System (TEAMS). | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 411.004, Government Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 411.004. DUTIES AND POWERS OF COMMISSION. The | ||
commission shall: | ||
(1) formulate plans and policies for: | ||
(A) enforcement of state criminal, traffic, and | ||
safety laws; | ||
(B) prevention of crime; | ||
(C) detection and apprehension of persons who | ||
violate laws; and | ||
(D) education of citizens of this state in the | ||
promotion of public safety and the observance of law; | ||
(2) organize the department and supervise its | ||
operation; | ||
(3) adopt rules considered necessary for carrying out | ||
the department's work; | ||
(4) maintain records of all proceedings and official | ||
orders; [ |
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(5) biennially submit a report of its work to the | ||
governor and legislature, including the commission's and director's | ||
recommendations; and | ||
(6) notwithstanding any other law, the department has | ||
authority to manage emergency alert systems in the state. | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter L-1 to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER L-1. TEXAS EMERGENCY ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS) | ||
Sec. 411.371. DEFINITION. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "alert management system" means the Texas | ||
Emergency Alert Management System (TEAMS) established under this | ||
subchapter. | ||
Sec. 411.372. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEXAS | ||
ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS). With the cooperation of the Texas | ||
Division of Emergency Management, the Texas Department of | ||
Transportation, the Commission on State Emergency Communications, | ||
the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Health and Human | ||
Services Commission, the Texas Department of State Health Services, | ||
the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of | ||
Texas, the State Office of Risk Management, the office of the | ||
governor, and other appropriate agencies in this state, the | ||
department shall identify potential threats of regional or | ||
statewide significance and develop and implement a plan to alert | ||
the public by use of the Federal Wireless Emergency Alert System in | ||
the event that the director, chief of the Texas Division of | ||
Emergency Management appointed under Section 418.041, and a state | ||
elected official identify a need to alert Texans to an imminent | ||
threat to public health or safety. | ||
Sec. 411.373. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The director is the | ||
statewide coordinator of the alert management system. | ||
(b) The director shall adopt rules and issue directives as | ||
necessary to ensure proper implementation of the alert management | ||
system. | ||
(c) The director shall prescribe forms to use in requesting | ||
activation of an alert regarding an emergency of statewide or | ||
regional significance. | ||
Sec. 411.374. DEPARTMENT TO RECRUIT PARTICIPANTS. (a) The | ||
department shall recruit public and commercial television and radio | ||
broadcasters, mobile telephone service providers, private | ||
commercial entities, state or local governmental entities, the | ||
public, and other appropriate persons to assist in developing and | ||
implementing the alert management system. | ||
(b) The department may enter into agreements with | ||
participants in the alert management system to provide necessary | ||
support for the alert management system. | ||
Sec. 411.375. ACTIVATION. (a) On the request of a state | ||
elected official and a state agency official or law enforcement | ||
agency, the department shall investigate the need to activate a | ||
statewide or regional alert that is not otherwise authorized by | ||
Chapter 411 or 418, Government Code and notify appropriate | ||
participants in the alert system as established by rule if | ||
director, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management | ||
appointed under Section 418.041, and a state elected official | ||
identify a need to alert Texans to an imminent statewide or regional | ||
threat to public health or safety | ||
Sec. 411.376. STATE AGENCIES. (a) A state agency | ||
participating in the alert system shall cooperate with the | ||
department and assist in identifying potential threats and | ||
developing and implementing the alert management system. | ||
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
of this Act, the public safety director of the Department of Public | ||
Safety of the State of Texas shall adopt rules and issue directives | ||
necessary to implement Subchapter L-1, Chapter 411, Government | ||
Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |