HB 156

By: Bowers
  H.B. No. 156
  A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
  AN ACT
  relating to the development and implementation of outdoor warning
  siren activation protocol, including the establishment of an
  advisory committee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 418.196 and 418.197 to read as follows:
         Sec. 418.196.  OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN ACTIVATION PROTOCOL.  
  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Outdoor warning siren" means a device that
  produces a sound designed to alert members of the public who are
  outdoors of an imminent disaster and encourage those members to
  immediately seek shelter.
               (2)  "Political subdivision" means a municipality, a
  county, a special purpose district or authority, or any other
  political subdivision of this state.
         (b)  The division by rule shall develop an outdoor warning
  siren activation protocol to establish uniform criteria throughout
  this state for the activation of outdoor warning sirens by
  political subdivisions that operate outdoor warning sirens.
         (c)  The protocol must:
               (1)  include:
                     (A)  criteria and thresholds for the voluntary or
  mandatory activation of the outdoor warning sirens in emergency
  circumstances, including in the event of:
                           (i)  a warning issued by the National
  Weather Service, such as a flash flood, wildfire, or tornado
  warning; and
                           (ii)  a declaration of local disaster issued
  under Section 418.108 involving an immediate threat to public
  safety, such as a shelter-in-place order or hazardous material
  incident; and
                     (B)  guidance on the integration of the outdoor
  warning sirens with other public alert systems, such as the
  integrated public alert system operated by the Federal Emergency
  Management Agency; and
               (2)  accommodate regional differences in this state
  while maintaining consistency in emergency activation criteria and
  thresholds.
         (d)  The protocol may not regulate:
               (1)  testing schedules for the outdoor warning sirens;
               (2)  maintenance of the outdoor warning sirens; or
               (3)  minimum geographic coverage of the outdoor warning
  sirens.
         (e)  The division shall:
               (1)  publish the outdoor warning siren activation
  protocol on its publicly available Internet website; and
               (2)  provide notice to political subdivisions that
  operate outdoor warning sirens of any update to the protocol.
         (f)  A political subdivision operating outdoor warning
  sirens shall adopt and implement the outdoor warning siren
  activation protocol, as applicable.
         Sec. 418.197.  OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN ACTIVATION PROTOCOL
  ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  (a)  The division shall establish an outdoor
  warning siren activation protocol advisory committee to provide
  guidance on the development and implementation of the outdoor
  warning siren activation protocol.
         (b)  The committee is composed of the following members:
               (1)  a division designee, to serve as committee chair;
               (2)  one emergency management director or coordinator
  as designated under Section 418.1015 from each field response
  region of this state, as designated by the division, that operates
  outdoor warning sirens;
               (3)  a representative from the Emergency Management
  Association of Texas; and
               (4)  as available, a representative from the National
  Weather Service.
         (c)  The committee shall:
               (1)  provide technical guidance to the division on the
  operation of outdoor warning sirens in this state;
               (2)  provide insight on the regional, including
  geographical, differences in this state for purposes of operating
  outdoor warning sirens; and
               (3)  conduct an annual statewide survey of existing
  practices of political subdivisions in this state that operate
  outdoor warning sirens.
         (d)  The committee shall annually submit a report to the
  division containing a summary of recommendations based on the
  information collected under Subsection (c).
         SECTION 2.  (a)  Not later than March 15, 2026, the Texas
  Division of Emergency Management by rule shall develop and publish
  the outdoor warning siren activation protocol, as required by
  Section 418.196, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  Not later than September 1, 2026, each political
  subdivision of this state that operates outdoor warning sirens
  shall adopt the outdoor warning siren activation protocol as
  required by Section 418.196, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         (c)  The outdoor warning siren activation protocol advisory
  committee, established under Section 418.197, Government Code, as
  added by this Act, shall:
               (1)  not later than January 15, 2026, complete the
  initial statewide survey of political subdivisions operating
  outdoor warning sirens; and
               (2)  not later than February 1, 2026, submit
  recommendations regarding the outdoor warning siren activation
  protocol to the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.