Bill Text: TX HB4046 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to providing information and communication regarding and during a disaster.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-21 - Referred to Homeland Security & Public Safety [HB4046 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB4046-Introduced.html
| 86R11807 AAF-D | ||
| By: Lozano | H.B. No. 4046 | |
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| relating to providing information and communication regarding and | ||
| during a disaster. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Sections 418.054, 418.055, and 418.056 to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| Sec. 418.054. COORDINATING 9-1-1 TEXT MESSAGE CAPABILITY. | ||
| The division, in consultation with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension | ||
| Service, shall coordinate state and local government efforts to | ||
| make 9-1-1 emergency service capable of receiving text messages | ||
| from a cellular telephone or other wireless communication device. | ||
| Sec. 418.055. DISASTER MOBILE APPLICATION. (a) The | ||
| division, in consultation with the Texas A&M Forest Service, shall | ||
| develop a mobile application for wireless communication devices to | ||
| communicate critical information during a disaster directly to | ||
| disaster victims and first responders. | ||
| (b) The mobile application may provide information on: | ||
| (1) road and weather conditions during a disaster; and | ||
| (2) disaster response and recovery activities. | ||
| Sec. 418.056. STUDY ON IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS DURING | ||
| DISASTERS. (a) The division, in consultation with the Texas A&M | ||
| Engineering Extension Service, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension | ||
| Service, and other appropriate entities, shall conduct a study on | ||
| improving communication during a disaster. The study must: | ||
| (1) consider ways to improve and standardize the use | ||
| of social media as a communication tool during and after a disaster; | ||
| (2) examine the costs and benefits of promoting the | ||
| use of a standard communication format to create a single | ||
| comprehensive common operating framework; | ||
| (3) identify any costs that first responders may incur | ||
| in acquiring equipment complying with a standard communication | ||
| format; | ||
| (4) examine how private utility providers and the use | ||
| of the providers' portable satellite communications equipment and | ||
| portable mobile telephone towers may assist in response and | ||
| recovery after disasters; and | ||
| (5) examine how the state may use data analytics for | ||
| more effective and timely analysis of information to improve | ||
| disaster management. | ||
| (b) Not later than August 31, 2020, the division shall | ||
| submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and members of the | ||
| legislature a report on the findings of the study. | ||
| (c) This section expires December 1, 2020. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 418, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 418.193 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 418.193. DISASTER WEB PORTAL. The Texas A&M | ||
| University System, in coordination with the governor and the | ||
| division, shall develop a comprehensive disaster web portal. The | ||
| web portal must: | ||
| (1) provide disaster information to the public, | ||
| including information on programs and services available to | ||
| disaster victims and funding for and expenditures of disaster | ||
| assistance programs; | ||
| (2) include information on disaster response and | ||
| recovery activities; and | ||
| (3) provide information on obtaining assistance from | ||
| the Federal Emergency Management Agency, state agencies, organized | ||
| volunteer groups, and any other entities providing disaster | ||
| assistance. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
