HBA-TBM S.B. 94 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 94
By: Nelson
Public Health
4/23/2001
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, provisions concerning disaster management do not make
any mention of bioterrorism. Senate Bill 94 requires a local government to
create a bioterrorism response plan as part of its emergency management
plan and authorizes a local government to consult with the Texas Department
of Health in developing the plan.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 94 amends the Government Code to provide that an emergency
management plan prepared by each local and interjurisdictional agency must
address natural, technological, and man-made hazards, including acts or
threatened acts of terrorism involving the use or threatened use of
conventional weapons, nuclear devices and materials, chemical agents, or
biological agents.  In developing the plan to address nuclear devices or
materials and biological agents, the local or interjurisdictional agency is
authorized to consult with the Texas Department of Health.  The emergency
management plans adopted must follow the standards and requirements adopted
by the division of emergency management in the office of the governor.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 provides that the emergency management plans are
excepted from the requirements for availability of public information.