Bill overhauling disaster emergency response misses final approval in Texas Senate

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Efforts to overhaul local emergency response to disasters failed after the Texas Senate concluded its business early Thursday without taking up a bill that would have mandated new training and licensing requirements.

Senate Bill 2 would have created license requirements for local emergency coordinators, initiated registration requirements for disaster volunteers and established a mass-casualty disaster training program for certain justices of the peace. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the upper chamber, did not state on the Senate floor why the bill was not taken up before the chamber adjourned Thursday morning.

SB 2 was one of several bills aimed at remedying problems made evident during the July 4 floods, in which more than 130 people were killed and dozens of homes and businesses were destroyed. The Legislature passed House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1 on Wednesday night, which would create new requirements and restrictions for camps operating in or near floodplains. SB 2 had already received initial approval from the Senate in August, but underwent changes in the House that the two chambers disagreed on.

Representatives in the House added amendments that allowed counties to be reimbursed by the state comptroller’s office for helicopter use during certain disasters and give emergency coordinators more input on proposals for transmission lines built in floodplains. Lawmakers from both chambers needed to agree on a new, final version, or have the Senate agree to the House changes before the bill could be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott for signing.

With both chambers adjourned, Abbott would have to call a third special session for any of the proposals in SB 2 to be heard again. Abbott has not given any immediate indication as to whether a third special session would occur.

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