76R10805 MI-D
By Swinford H.B. No. 2660
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2660:
By Counts C.S.H.B. No. 2660
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to state drought planning and preparation.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 16.055, Water Code, is amended to read as
1-5 follows:
1-6 Sec. 16.055. DROUGHT RESPONSE PLAN. (a) The coordinator of
1-7 the division of emergency management of the office of the governor
1-8 is the state drought manager. The state drought manager is [shall
1-9 be] responsible for managing and coordinating the drought response
1-10 component of the state water plan.
1-11 (b) The drought preparedness council [response and
1-12 monitoring committee] is created and shall meet as necessary to
1-13 carry out the provisions of this section. The council [committee]
1-14 is composed of one representative from each of the following
1-15 entities, appointed by the administrative head of that entity:
1-16 (1) the division of emergency management of the office
1-17 of the governor;
1-18 (2) the board;
1-19 (3) the commission;
1-20 (4) the Parks and Wildlife Department;
1-21 (5) the Department of Agriculture;
1-22 (6) the Texas Agricultural Extension Service; [and]
1-23 (7) the State Soil and Water Conservation Board;
1-24 (8) the Texas Forest Service;
2-1 (9) the Texas Department of Transportation;
2-2 (10) the Texas Department of Economic Development; and
2-3 (11) the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts.
2-4 (c) The governor may designate any other person or a
2-5 representative of any other entity to serve on the drought
2-6 preparedness council [committee].
2-7 (d) The state drought manager [representative of the
2-8 division of emergency management] shall serve as chair of the
2-9 drought preparedness council [committee].
2-10 (e) The drought preparedness council [committee] shall be
2-11 responsible for:
2-12 (1) the assessment and public reporting of drought
2-13 monitoring and water supply conditions;
2-14 (2) advising the governor on significant drought
2-15 conditions;
2-16 (3) recommending specific provisions for a defined
2-17 state response to drought-related disasters for inclusion in the
2-18 state emergency management plan and the state water plan;
2-19 (4) advising the regional water planning groups on
2-20 drought-related issues in the regional water plans; [and]
2-21 (5) ensuring effective coordination among state,
2-22 local, and federal agencies in drought-response planning; and
2-23 (6) reporting to the legislature, not later than
2-24 January 15 of each odd-numbered year, regarding significant drought
2-25 conditions in the state.
2-26 (f) In performing its duties under this section, the drought
2-27 preparedness council [response and monitoring committee] shall
3-1 consider the following factors when determining whether a drought
3-2 exists for the purposes of this section:
3-3 (1) meteorological conditions and forecasts;
3-4 (2) hydrological conditions and forecasts;
3-5 (3) water use and demand forecasts;
3-6 (4) water supply conditions and forecasts;
3-7 (5) the potential impacts of the water shortage on:
3-8 (A) the public health, safety, and welfare;
3-9 (B) economic development; and
3-10 (C) agricultural and natural resources; and
3-11 (6) other factors deemed appropriate by the council
3-12 [committee].
3-13 SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 16, Water Code, is amended
3-14 by adding Section 16.0551 to read as follows:
3-15 Sec. 16.0551. STATE DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS PLAN. (a) The
3-16 drought preparedness council shall develop and implement a
3-17 comprehensive state drought preparedness plan for mitigating the
3-18 effects of drought in the state and shall periodically update the
3-19 plan. The plan shall be separate from the state water plan.
3-20 (b) The plan shall provide for:
3-21 (1) timely and systematic data collection, analysis,
3-22 and dissemination of drought-related information;
3-23 (2) an organizational structure that:
3-24 (A) assures information flow between and within
3-25 levels of government;
3-26 (B) defines the duties and responsibilities of
3-27 all agencies with respect to drought; and
4-1 (C) assures coordination between the state and
4-2 federal governments through integration with applicable national
4-3 drought policies;
4-4 (3) maintenance of an inventory of state and federal
4-5 programs for assessing and responding to drought emergencies,
4-6 together with updated recommendations regarding appropriate action;
4-7 (4) a mechanism to improve the timely and accurate
4-8 assessment of drought impact on agriculture, industry,
4-9 municipalities, wildlife, and the health of the natural resource
4-10 base;
4-11 (5) provision of accurate and timely information to
4-12 the media to keep the public informed of current conditions; and
4-13 (6) procedures to evaluate and revise the plan on a
4-14 continuous basis to keep the plan responsive to state needs.
4-15 (c) The state drought manager shall use existing resources
4-16 to develop an information and communications network to forecast
4-17 and inform interested parties and the public of the potential for
4-18 drought, including programs and staff of state agencies and other
4-19 political subdivisions and of state institutions of higher
4-20 education.
4-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-26 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-27 passage, and it is so enacted.