Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 2, which creates training for justices of the peace handling mass-fatality events, a statewide volunteer management system run by TDEM, clarified command succession during disasters, and authority to neutralize drones in disaster zones.
The Texas House passed Senate Bill 2 on final reading after debate over training standards for officials and the scope of authority to neutralize unmanned aircraft during disasters. The final recorded vote was 132 ayes and 4 nays.
Representative King, who laid out SB 2’s provisions, said the bill “seeks to implement some of these” recommendations from post-flood hearings and described the measure as strengthening disaster response and command continuity. "Being prepared and being ready to respond to a disaster is what we owe the citizens of Texas," King said on the floor.
Key provisions include a requirement that a Justice of the Peace in counties without a medical examiner take training developed by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and DSHS on managing mass-fatality events, and the creation of a statewide volunteer management system run by TDEM that will credential volunteers and allow background checks.
SB 2 requires counties and cities to adopt written procedures for succession of emergency leadership during disasters: if a county judge cannot act, the sheriff becomes acting emergency management director and, if the sheriff cannot act, the longest-serving county commissioner assumes duties.
The bill also authorizes DPS and TDEM to “neutralize, disable, take down, or block drones” operating in a disaster area if those aircraft are not operated by first responders. Members asked whether that authority could affect press or credentialed drones; Representative King said the measure was not intended to “stop press” coverage but noted testimony about instances where drones risked interfering with rescue aircraft.
Representative Collier pressed for details about the definition of a mass-fatality event and whether it was statutory. King said the threshold is set in TDEM rules and not in statute, meaning the agency sets the operational definition in rulemaking.
Representative Canales asked whether registered or credentialed press drones could be neutralized; King acknowledged the risk and said control of disaster airspace is necessary at certain moments to protect responders, and that the bill aims to give first responders controlled airspace when needed.
SB 2 also authorizes creation of an emergency-manager license issued by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and creates a statewide mass-fatality rapid-response team, among other measures.
The bill passed on final reading after floor debate and several questions about training content, accountability and volunteer registration; supporters said the training and systems will be developed by agencies following passage and oversight by the disaster-preparedness committee.
