By: Anchía, Raymond, Zwiener, Bumgarner,	H.B. No. 2618
	Darby

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the development of a severe weather adaptation plan by
	certain entities.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
	Chapter 795 to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 795. SEVERE WEATHER ADAPTATION PLAN
	Sec. 795.001.  PARTICIPATING ENTITIES. Not later than
	September 1 of each even-numbered year, each of the following
	entities shall publish a severe weather adaptation plan to assess
	the entity's role with respect to severe weather events:
	(1)  the Department of Agriculture;
	(2)  the Department of Public Safety of the State of
	Texas;
	(3)  the General Land Office;
	(4)  the Health and Human Services Commission;
	(5)  the office of the comptroller;
	(6)  the Parks and Wildlife Department;
	(7)  the Public Utility Commission of Texas;
	(8)  the Texas A&M Forest Service;
	(9)  the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
	(10)  the Texas Department of Housing and Community
	Affairs;
	(11)  the Texas Department of Insurance;
	(12)  the Texas Department of Transportation; and
	(13)  the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
	Sec. 795.002.  PLAN. For purposes of this chapter, a severe
	weather adaptation plan is a strategy to identify, minimize, and
	adequately prepare for the effects of severe weather and to manage
	the risks associated with severe weather. A plan under this section
	must be based on current research-based science that identifies the
	likely effects on this state from severe weather events.
	Sec. 795.003.  CONTENTS OF PLAN. (a) An entity's severe
	weather adaptation plan must include:
	(1)  a severe weather vulnerability assessment;
	(2)  a review of existing programs in the context of
	severe weather events;
	(3)  an analysis of the effects the entity's efforts to
	adapt to severe weather events would have on the entity's budget
	during the next 2, 5, and 10 years;
	(4)  potential sources of funding to support the
	entity's efforts to adapt to severe weather events; and
	(5)  a statewide strategy to monitor the continuing
	effects of severe weather events.
	(b)  In developing a severe weather adaptation plan, each
	entity subject to this chapter may consult with the Office of the
	Texas State Climatologist in the Department of Atmospheric
	Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Texas A&M University.
	(c)  An entity subject to this chapter that is required to
	develop a continuity of operations plan under Section 412.054,
	Labor Code, shall include in the plan the severe weather
	vulnerability assessment described by Subsection (a)(1).
	Sec. 795.004.  POSTING OF PLAN. (a) Not later than
	September 1 of each even-numbered year, each entity subject to this
	chapter shall post the entity's severe weather adaptation plan on a
	publicly accessible Internet website and electronically submit a
	copy of the plan to:
	(1)  the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of
	the house of representatives;
	(2)  the presiding officer of each standing committee
	or subcommittee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over
	environmental matters; and
	(3)  the executive director of the Texas Commission on
	Environmental Quality.
	(b)  An entity shall redact from the severe weather
	adaptation plan information the release of which might compromise
	the security of the entity's operations before posting the plan on a
	publicly accessible Internet website.
	Sec. 795.005.  AUDIT OF PLAN. A severe weather adaptation
	plan is subject to audit by the state auditor in accordance with
	Chapter 321.
	SECTION 2.  Section 795.003(c), Government Code, as added by
	this Act, applies only to a continuity of operations plan developed
	or adopted under Section 412.054, Labor Code, on or after the
	effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.