Senate Bill 3, by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, was filed in response to the July 4 Hill Country floods that killed at least 137 people — including 27 campers and staff members at Camp Mystic. In the aftermath of the flooding, various lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, said sirens needed to be installed in an effort to try to save lives.
Rep. Terry Wilson, R- Georgetown, said rural communities that are in flood-prone areas have youth and RV camps where mobile phone service can be unreliable and spotty.
“We must rely on proven technology like outdoor warning systems,” Wilson said.
SB 3 passed in the House with a 136-0 vote. Because Wilson added an amendment to the bill, the Senate will need to approve the amendment before it can head to the governor’s desk.
The bill is one of several measures Gov. Greg Abbott ordered lawmakers to pass in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods. Last week, lawmakers sent a package of bills to Abbott’s desk, including one that would require youth camps to have state-approved plans for various emergencies — including floods.
SB 3 seeks to solve a problem that was identified in the aftermath of the flooding, when it was revealed that local officials in Kerr County chose not to install flood warning sirens in prior years.
Several years ago, the Kerr County Commissioners Court considered a system of sirens for tornadoes and floods but ultimately had to shelve the plan because local residents had concerns over the cost, The Associated Pressreported on July 8.
“If the city can’t afford it, then the state will step up, and we need to have these in place by the next summer,” Patrick said in an interview on Fox News on July 7.
The Texas Water Development Board would have to identify areas that have a history of severe flooding and such a determination by the agency would be final. In the flood-prone areas identified by the agency, the municipality, either the city or county that oversees the area, would be required to install the siren system and regularly test it.
The tests would have to be documented.
The grant program in SB 3 allocates $50 million over the next two years to help cities and counties pay for the sirens. Local municipalities would have to submit a proposal for the sirens to the governor’s office, but the governor could delegate the authority to another state agency.
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