Texas Senate Passes Bill Mandating Early Warning Sirens in Flood-Prone Areas
In a unanimous vote, the Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill 2 (SB 2), authored by Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), Chairman of the Senate Local Government Committee. This legislation, designated a priority by Governor Dan Patrick, responds to the devastating July 4th flood disaster in Kerr County and aims to enhance public safety across Central Texas by mandating early warning sirens in flood-prone areas.
The bill, co-authored by Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) and supported by a 9-0 vote in the Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding, addresses a critical gap in safety measures. It targets Central Texas’s “Flash Flood Alley,” where riverside youth camps, RV parks, and recreational areas are highly vulnerable to sudden flooding, often lacking reliable cellular service for emergency alerts.
The urgency of the measure was underscored by Kerrville resident Bill Rector, who testified, “Mr. Rector, you said the wall of water was moving at 17 mph, and the camps were 7 miles downstream. By my simple aggle math, that’s 24 mins to act and use sirens to get people to higher ground.” Senator Bettencourt emphasized the need for an integrated river gauge and siren system, noting, “If we had an integrated river gauge and siren system, as you were already looking at once, don’t you want to change your response on whether you think a river alert system could have saved lives in this flood?” Rector agreed, stating, “Yes, sir. There’s no question that could save lives.” This exchange, along with similar revised responses from other Kerr County officials, highlighted the bill’s necessity.
Key Provisions of SB 2:
• Risk Identification: Requires the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to identify areas with a history of severe flooding, including locations with prior fatalities, dense residential or recreational activity, and other risk factors.
• Local Implementation: Directs counties and municipalities to install, operate, and maintain outdoor flood sirens under TWDB rules, based on jurisdiction.
• Grant Program: Establishes a state-funded grant program, appropriated through Senate Bill 3, with installation and maintenance costs administered by the Office of the Governor, with flexibility for agency delegation to streamline implementation.
• Minimum Standards: Sets requirements for siren equipment and operations, including backup power systems independent from the primary grid and emergency activation protocols.
Initial cost estimates, developed in coordination with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), suggest a $50 million capital investment to install sirens in priority zones. Testimony from flood hearings, including input from Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Kim, LCRA Executive VP of Water John Hoffmann, TWDB representatives, floodplain managers, and local leaders, underscored the program’s necessity and feasibility.
“Testimony after testimony confirms, flood warning sirens are proven, effective, and can save lives immediately,” Senator Bettencourt concluded. “By getting folks to higher ground, an opinion stated by Senator Perry in unanimous passage of SB 1 today.” The bill now heads to the Texas House to deliver these life-saving flood disaster resources swiftly.