Bill Text: TX HB4393 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to disaster relief and recovery.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-29 - Referred to Appropriations [HB4393 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB4393-Introduced.html
By: Martinez Fischer | H.B. No. 4393 |
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relating to disaster relief and recovery. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the Texas Rescue Plan. | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 201, Labor Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter I to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER I. UNEMPLOYMENT DURING STATE OF DISASTER | ||
Sec. 201.201 REQUIREMENTS DURING STATE OF DISASTER. (a) | ||
During a disaster declared by the governor under Chapter 418, | ||
Government Code, or by the president of the United States, or a | ||
public health disaster declared under Chapter 81, Health and Safety | ||
Code, the commission shall waive the following requirements: | ||
(1) work requirements that require a recipient of | ||
unemployment compensation benefits to search for work; and | ||
(2) waiting week requirements. | ||
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the funds received | ||
by the State of Texas from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, | ||
Public Law 117-2, the sum of $215 million to the Texas Workforce | ||
Commission to supplement benefits under the Federal Pandemic | ||
Unemployment Compensation program by an additional $100 per week | ||
for eligible beneficiaries through September 6, 2021. | ||
SECTION 4. Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended by adding | ||
Section 302.00436 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 302.00436. SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE PROGRAM DURING A | ||
STATE OF DISASTER. (a) During a disaster declared by the governor | ||
under Chapter 418, Government Code, or by the president of the | ||
United States, or a public health disaster declared under Chapter | ||
81, Health and Safety Code, the commission shall waive: | ||
(1) requirements that require a parent to work or | ||
attend a job training or educational program in order to be eligible | ||
for the subsidy; and | ||
(2) 60 day reapplication waiting periods if the | ||
parent's eligibility or the child's enrollment is terminated. | ||
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the funds received | ||
by the State of Texas from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, | ||
Public Law 117-2, the sum of $200 million to the Texas Workforce | ||
Commission to be used to supplement child-care subsidies for | ||
COVID-19 essential workers as defined by Executive Order GA 14, | ||
issued March 31, 2020. | ||
SECTION 6. Section 151.3565, Tax Code, is amended to read as | ||
follows: | ||
Sec. 151.3565. EMERGENCY PREPARATION SUPPLIES FOR LIMITED | ||
PERIOD. (a) The sale of an emergency preparation item is exempted | ||
from the taxes imposed by this chapter if the sale takes place | ||
during a period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the Saturday before the | ||
last Monday in April and ending at 12 midnight on the last Monday in | ||
April. | ||
(b) For purposes of this section, "emergency preparation | ||
item" means: | ||
(1) a portable generator used to provide light or | ||
communications or to preserve perishable food in the event of a | ||
power outage, the sales price of which is less than $3,000; | ||
(2) an item listed in this subdivision, the sales | ||
price of which is less than $300: | ||
(A) a storm protection device manufactured, | ||
rated, and marketed specifically to prevent damage to a glazed or | ||
non-glazed opening during a storm; or | ||
(B) an emergency or rescue ladder; or | ||
(3) an item listed in this subdivision, the sales | ||
price of which is less than $75: | ||
(A) a reusable or artificial ice product; | ||
(B) a portable, self-powered light source; | ||
(C) a gasoline or diesel fuel container; | ||
(D) a AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt, | ||
or 9 volt battery, or a package containing more than one battery, | ||
other than an automobile or boat battery; | ||
(E) a nonelectric cooler or ice chest for food | ||
storage; | ||
(F) a tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof | ||
sheeting; | ||
(G) a ground anchor system or tie-down kit; | ||
(H) a mobile telephone battery or battery | ||
charger; | ||
(I) a portable self-powered radio, including a | ||
two-way radio or weatherband radio; | ||
(J) a fire extinguisher, smoke detector, or | ||
carbon monoxide detector; | ||
(K) a hatchet or axe; | ||
(L) a self-contained first aid kit[ |
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(M) a nonelectric can opener[ |
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(N) disinfectant cleaning supplies; or | ||
(O) personal protective equipment. | ||
SECTION 7. In addition to other amounts appropriated to the | ||
Public Utilities Commission of Texas for the state fiscal biennium | ||
beginning September 1, 2021, there is appropriated out of the funds | ||
received by the State of Texas from the American Rescue Plan Act of | ||
2021, Public Law 117-2, the sum of $1 billion to the Public | ||
Utilities Commission to establish a winter storm relief program to | ||
provide low-income individuals with funds for to pay for home | ||
repairs, winterization, exorbitant electricity bills, and other | ||
costs incurred as a result of Winter Storm Uri. The commission | ||
shall by rule establish the program, including the allocation | ||
formula, eligibility requirements, the manner in which an | ||
individual may apply for assistance, and procedures for awarding | ||
assistance. | ||
SECTION 8. Chapter 121, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Section 121.0067 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 121.0067 GRANTS FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE MONITORING. | ||
(a) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall | ||
administer a program under which funds may be granted to counties, | ||
municipalities, public health districts, regional advisory | ||
councils, and other political subdivisions for use by the counties, | ||
municipalities, public health districts, regional advisory | ||
councils, and other political subdivisions to provide or pay for | ||
infectious disease monitoring. | ||
(b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules governing: | ||
(1) the allocation formula for grants awarded under | ||
this section; | ||
(2) the manner in which a municipality, county, public | ||
health district, regional advisory councils, or other political | ||
subdivision applies for a grant; | ||
(3) the procedures for awarding grants; and | ||
(4) the minimum infectious disease monitoring | ||
services to be provided under the grant and other standards | ||
applicable to the services to be provided under the grant. | ||
SECTION 9. Section 418.047, Texas Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding subsection (e) to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 418.047. COMMUNICATIONS. (a) In cooperation with | ||
other state agencies, the division shall ascertain what means exist | ||
for rapid and efficient communication in times of disaster. | ||
(a-1) The division shall coordinate with the Texas | ||
Department of Transportation to establish additional methods for | ||
disseminating emergency public service messages to motorists, | ||
including: | ||
(1) severe weather advisories; | ||
(2) AMBER alerts under Subchapter L, Chapter 411; and | ||
(3) silver alerts under Subchapter M, Chapter 411. | ||
(b) The division shall consider the desirability of | ||
supplementing the communication resources or integrating them into | ||
a state or state-federal telecommunication or other communication | ||
system or network. | ||
(c) In studying the character and feasibility of any system | ||
or its parts, the division shall evaluate the possibility of its | ||
multipurpose use for general state and local governmental purposes. | ||
(d) The division shall make recommendations to the governor | ||
as appropriate. | ||
(e) If federal funds are allocated to the state for the | ||
purpose of providing disaster relief, the division shall develop an | ||
Internet website to house information on how the federal funds have | ||
been allocated by the governor. | ||
SECTION 10. This Act takes effect immediately if it | ||
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each | ||
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. | ||
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate | ||
effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |