Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee considers voluntary certification for disaster-relief charities; education required, opponents warn of weaponization
Summary
House Bill 20 would create state-backed education materials and a voluntary attorney general certification for organizations soliciting donations for disaster relief; supporters said certification will promote transparency for donors while opponents warned the program could be misused to restrict spontaneous volunteers.
The House Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding reviewed House Bill 20, which would require the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the attorney general’s office to develop educational materials and establish a voluntary certification program for organizations that solicit donations to provide disaster relief services.
Representative Darby, the bill’s sponsor, told the committee the two-pronged plan — public education and optional certification — is intended to protect Texans from fraudulent…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
