San Angelo’s Rep. Drew Darby filed five flood disaster response bills, including two priority bills, House Bill 19 and House Bill 20.
The legislation, filed after over twenty-four hours of cumulative testimony in Austin and Kerrville, will support those affected by the July 4 floods, protect vulnerable disaster victims from predatory practices, and help prevent future tragedies of this nature.
“Being appointed to the Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding is a great responsibility, and I carry a clear mandate from my constituents to ensure their families are safe and have the support they need to rebuild,” Chairman Darby said.
“The truth is, while San Angelo and Tom Green County demonstrated a masterclass in disaster response, the experiences of Texans in Kerr County and other affected areas reveal serious gaps in our current system — and that must change.”
The legislation filed Monday includes the following:
- House Bill 19: Relating to required flood disaster plans for campgrounds; authorizing a civil penalty;
- House Bill 20: Relating to certain measures to prevent and reduce fraudulent charitable solicitations during disasters, including establishing a voluntary certification program for disaster relief organizations;
- House Bill 269: Relating to requirements for campgrounds located in a floodway; authorizing an administrative penalty; providing a private cause of action;
- House Bill 270: Disaster Volunteer Management and Scam Prevention Act, relating to disasters, including the regulation of social media platforms, disaster relief organizations, and disaster volunteers; creating criminal offenses; increasing criminal penalties; authorizing a fee; and
- House Bill 271: Relating to youth camp emergency operations plans and preparedness.
House Bills 19 and 20 were promptly referred to the Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding and a hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, August 5. The additional legislation may be referred in the coming days. Representative Darby is also preparing supplementary relief measures, which are anticipated to be filed soon.
“No matter what anyone says, my top priority is flood recovery, and doing right by every Texan who lost their lives or their livelihoods on July 4; everything else is secondary,” Darby concluded. “Whether it is this special session, next special session, or the special session after that, I intend to work as hard as I can to get these bills to the Governor’s desk.”
Representative Darby serves House District 72, which includes Coke, Coleman, Concho, Glasscock, Howard, Irion, Reagan, Runnels, Sterling, and Tom Green counties. He chairs the House Committee on Energy Resources and serves on the Administration, State Affairs, and Disaster Preparedness & Flooding committees.
— From Laramie Stroud, Chief of Staff
