Bill Text: TX HB2892 | 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 [HB2892 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB2892-Introduced.html
By: Landgraf | H.B. No. 2892 |
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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. Chapter 418, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter J to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER J. TEXAS EMERGENCY ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS) | ||
Sec. 418.270. DEFINITION. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "alert management system" means the Texas | ||
Emergency Alert Management System (TEAMS) established under this | ||
subchapter. | ||
(2) "Chief" means the chief of the Texas Division of | ||
Emergency Management appointed under Section 418.041. | ||
Sec. 418.271. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TEXAS | ||
ALERT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TEAMS). (a) Notwithstanding any other | ||
law, the division has authority to manage all state emergency alert | ||
systems. | ||
(b) With the cooperation of the Department of Public Safety | ||
of the State of Texas, 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 division 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 chief, | ||
director of the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, | ||
and a state elected official identify a need to alert Texans to an | ||
imminent threat to public health or safety. | ||
Sec. 418.272. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The chief is the | ||
statewide coordinator of the alert management system. | ||
(b) The division shall adopt rules and the chief shall issue | ||
directives as necessary to ensure proper implementation of the | ||
alert management system. | ||
(c) The chief shall prescribe forms to use in requesting | ||
activation of an alert regarding an emergency of statewide or | ||
regional significance. | ||
Sec. 418.273. DIVISION TO RECRUIT PARTICIPANTS. (a) The | ||
division 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 division may enter into agreements with | ||
participants in the alert management system to provide necessary | ||
support for the alert management system. | ||
Sec. 418.274. ACTIVATION. (a) On the request of a state | ||
elected official and a state agency official or law enforcement | ||
agency, the chief shall immediately 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 the chief, director of the Department of Public Safety of the | ||
State of Texas, and a state elected official determine there is an | ||
imminent threat to public health or safety. | ||
Sec. 418.275. STATE AGENCIES. (a) A state agency | ||
participating in the alert system shall cooperate with the division | ||
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. |