At the Texas Capitol this week, lawmakers could take up two of the last major bills created in response to the deadly Fourth of July Hill Country floods, according to KXXV.
“They should have looked at where the campgrounds were in the 100-year flood plain and prevented that before it even happened,” said Jane Vaughn, who supports the disaster and flood response bills.
Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 5 — both focused on disaster preparedness and flood response — have cleared most hurdles and are now in conference committee, where House and Senate members are working out final differences.
Senate Bill 2 focuses on flood safety and requires the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to identify high-risk flood areas and mandate the installation of outdoor warning sirens in those locations.
Senate Bill 5 would pull $240 million from the rainy day fund for the state’s match for federal disaster response funds and other disaster needs, $50 million for sirens and rain gauges in the Central Texas flood region, $28 million to improve weather forecasting and $50 million for the new interoperability council, if House Bill 3 passes, to improve emergency communication.
“Simply put, to keep this from happening again, because that was absolutely detrimental and my heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones and the one young lady who still has not been found yet. This is absolutely heartbreaking,” Vaughn said.
With just over a week left in the second special session, parents and lawmakers are pushing to get the measures across the finish line.
